In the Paint
October 28-January 30
Pierce in; Ray, Rondo out: My take
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 30, 12:48 p.m.
But do Allen and Rondo deserve to be there this year? That's what I'll focus on here. Let's get it out of the way that Chris Bosh, Danny Granger, Rashard Lewis, Joe Johnson and Pierce all belong on the roster. That leaves point guards Devin Harris and Jameer Nelson. Because the All-Star game is so much about numbers, let's look at everyone's production:
Ray Allen: 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.98 steals, 41.5 percent from 3-point range, Celtics are 38-9
Rajon Rondo: 11.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.15 steals
Devin Harris: 21.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.65 steals, Nets are 20-26
Jameer Nelson: 17.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 45.4 percent from 3-point range, missed five games due to injury, Magic are 35-10
Here is a comparison between the point guards:
Rondo against the Magic: 2-0 record, 12.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.0 steal, 2.5 turnovers
Rondo against the Nets: 2-0 record, 9.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 4.0 turnovers
Nelson against the Celtics: 0-1 record, 17 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 2 turnovers
Harris against the Celtics: 0-2 record, 12.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, 4.5 turnovers
With that, it's extremely clear Rondo has gotten the better of both Nelson and Harris in their matchups this season, but I could have told you that based off of simply watching the games. I ran through the stats for this reason, and I've got it on good authority: The coaches, who select seven reserves from their respective conference without being allowed to vote for their own players, don't watch every game. They study the teams they're playing and basically stick to the tapes of their opposition's most recent games. Do they catch the national games on ESPN and TNT? Not as much as the passionate sportswriter or fan. That's not a knock on the coaches, it's just a fact of life.
But that leaves the coaches looking at a lot of stats. Sure, they hear which players are doing well and which ones aren't, and some of these All-Stars likely lit up their team at some point in the season, but the voting process isn't a perfect science.
I'll say this: Rondo is a better all-around player than both Harris and Nelson. What Harris has, though, is a tremendous ability to wind up on highlight shows. He's got one of the best crossovers in the league, and he's a very talented scorer on a team that doesn't have many. The selection of Nelson just doesn't make a lot of sense to me, however. Let's drop him from the team. And because Harris had the Nets hovering at .500 for much of the season while putting up career numbers across the board, let's leave him on.
That basically pits Rondo against Allen for the last spot. Both are having better seasons this year than last, and both are valuable to the Celtics in their own ways. I can't sit here and say Rondo is a better player than Allen because it just isn't true, but Rondo is more valuable to the team by this train of thought: Would the Celtics be in bigger trouble if they were without Rondo or Allen? Since Pierce could take over the heavier scoring duties, and there's no one on the roster who can put pressure on both sides of the ball the way Rondo can, I'd say that nod goes to the third-year point guard.
My conclusion is this: Replace Nelson with Rondo, and you've got a more deserving squad. When it comes down to it, there are four deserving guards for two spots. The two best players are Allen and Rondo, but that's just now how it works sometimes. We've got a clear case of that this season, and it'll continue to happen for as long as the game exists.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 11:44 p.m.
Fast Eddie. The Garden crowd brought back memories of the Celtics’ 2008 playoff run, as it went crazy for Eddie House. But those chants were more in recognition of House’s hustle plays. Tonight, they rained down on House because he went nuts from 3-point range. After drilling seven 3-pointers — to match his career high — twice in the last three games, House finally broke through with eight tonight, and he scored a game-high and season-high 28 points in just 20:18 of action. He was even more instrumental during the Celtics’ red-hot second quarter, when they outscored the Kings, 40-19, to turn a two-point deficit into a 19-point lead. House hit four of his 3’s in the second and scored 16 points in a span of 9:12 . Doc Rivers and the rest of the Celtics have been leading a weeklong campaign to get House into the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend in Phoenix next month. Rivers joked after the game it would just be nice for House to get a free flight home — he’s got a house in Scottsdale — jokingly calling him “cheap.” But House fired back in the locker room by saying he’s already got his free flight because he’s jumping on board with Kevin Garnett and whoever else gets selected to join the Big Ticket in Phoenix . House has never participated in any of the All-Star festivities, and it would be extra special this time around because of his local roots (he went to Arizona State ).
TA looked strong. After missing 11 consecutive games with a sprained right ankle, no one really expected to see Tony Allen do much more than run up and down the court to get in some conditioning tonight. You can even add Doc Rivers to that list. Rivers said before the game he was hoping to get Allen about 10 minutes of playing time — although he may have been thinking on the low end as a worst-case scenario with that number. But after Paul Pierce picked up his third foul just 9:04 into the first quarter, Rivers went right to Allen and rode him throughout a strong first half. Allen was extremely efficient in the second quarter, moving the ball on offense and staying up to task on the defensive end. He was a tad bit inconsistent in the second half, but Rivers won’t complain much because the game was out of hand and Allen got 23:22 of playing time, the most on the bench. Allen said before the game it’ll probably take a couple nights to get his game rhythm back, but he started off way ahead of schedule tonight. He finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.
No losers. There obviously aren’t many teams that can boast beating the Celtics, but even fewer are the teams with losing records that top the C’s. Here are the records, entering tonight, of the teams that have beaten the Celtics this season: Pacers (17-28), Nuggets (30-15), Lakers (35-9), Warriors (14-31), Blazers (27-17), Knicks (19-25), Bobcats (19-26), Rockets (28-18) and Cavs (35-8). Four of the Celtics’ losses have come against teams with losing records, and all of those have come on the road, which didn’t bode well for the 10-37 Kings. Of those losses to teams with losing records, only the Pacers beat the Celtics outside of the 2-7 skid, which further shows when the Celtics are on, you’ve got to be both talented and on your game to beat them. Even further, you can’t really classify any of those games as bad losses. The Bobcats game jumps out right away, but they’ve played the C’s very tough over the last season and a half and seem to have Boston ’s number in a way most teams can’t fathom. Sure, the Knicks loss is a tad disturbing, but that’s a team that can put some serious points on the board, and the same goes for the Warriors. Danny Granger went nuts for the Pacers in the C’s third game of the season, and the starting unit pretty much had their worst collective effort all year. Are they games the Celtics would like to have back? Absolutely. Are they inexcusable? Not so much.
C-Notes. Aside from a 2-2 tie, the Celtics trailed throughout the duration of the first quarter, and they were down by as many as 10. But after a 9-0 run between the first and second quarters put them ahead, 35-30, they never looked back. … The Celtics had a 24-3 advantage in fast-break points, including a 15-1 edge in the decisive second quarter. … The Celtics could have been shut out in the game’s last 8:24 and still won. … Kendrick Perkins played 24 minutes and didn’t take a single shot.
C's wear the crown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 9:58 p.m.
Kings cut lead, still not close
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 9:22 p.m.
Oh, and Eddie House's 16 second-quarter points came in a span of 9:12, which is pretty nice. No one on the Kings has more points than House through three quarters.
Kevin Garnett passed Patrick Ewing for 22nd all-time on the rebounding list. Garnett has eight boards through three quarters to give him 16,009 in his career, two more than Ewing.
Fast Eddie leads Celtics
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 8:27 p.m.
And in case you're wondering -- because I know referee Scott Foster was -- you cannot score by putting the ball through the underside of the rim and having it come back through the traditional way. Kevin Martin did just that in the second quarter, and Foster ruled it a good basket before Rodney Mott came over and talked some sense into the man.
Scal's concussion
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 8:27 p.m.
Scalabrine: "I got my bell rung two times in three days. I went to the doctor, the CAT Scan was good, got a concussion, going to miss some time. I’m more disappointed about that because as a team we’ve been playing some good ball. I feel like I’ve been playing some good ball lately."
"I’m really not concerned. As athletes, we always think we’ll just bounce back, and nothing will happen again. My wife said she was concerned about my intelligence level."
"I did [drive to the Garden tonight], which was difficult. I was cool around the house, but I think right now, the biggest thing is when I’m sitting around, it’s good. But when I’ve got to walk up the stairs, I might get a little bit light headed."
"I just went down [yesterday at practice]. I don’t remember what happened. I know I was going for a rebound, turned around and bam. [Celtics trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] was above me."
Doc Rivers: "I hit him, that’s why he doesn’t remember. I didn’t think it was very hard, honestly. I think it was more of a byproduct of the other one [against Dallas ], which probably meant he shouldn’t have been on the floor [at practice] to begin with. You’re just learning so much about these darn concussions. I would assume football is light years ahead of us in this whole thing, and in football, you at least have a week to recover and then you get knocked out again. It was only two days for Scal when you think about it. In some ways, it was even more severe. I didn’t see it. I saw the collision, but it didn’t look hard from my angle. I just think it was a byproduct of the other one. He kind of took two steps back and then fell and then tried to get up. That’s when he was out of it. Probably, in some ways, lucky it happened."
Rivers also said he suffered a concussion during his playing days. He got whacked by Hakeem Olajuwon, who should have picked on someone his own size, like Patrick Ewing.
" I got knocked out once by Olajuwon, and I literally don’t remember it," Rivers said.
C's trail by two after one
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 8:10 p.m.
Former Celtic Scot Pollard is in the building, too.
Crowning at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 8:01 p.m.
The Celtics are 22-2 at home, 9-4 in January, 7-1 on Wednesdays, 10-5 against the Western Conference, 3-2 against the Pacific Division and 1-0 against the Kings.
Allen in, Scalabrine out
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 28, 7:07 p.m.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 10:44 p.m.
One on one. Before I get started with this point, I've got to say this talk about Kevin Garnett not belonging in the All-Star game is simply ludicrous, and it's coming from people who don't watch the Celtics on anything close to a regular basis. You want numbers? Go with Chris Bosh. You want a franchise player? It's not even a debate. Don't slight the man for being a two-way player. I never realized you could knock someone for playing defense, and Gary Payton should be the first guy on the planet to realize that.
(Tangent No. 2: What's with Payton picking on the Celtics this season? First, Rajon Rondo. Now, Garnett. I'm not saying the guy shouldn't knock anyone on his former team -- one of them, in his case -- because that's simply got nothing to do with what I'm getting at. But I was always under the impression that a guy who was traded by the Celtics only to return eight days later sort of, you know, liked the franchise. I'm starting to wonder if there's some ill will toward Boston after he couldn't win here -- and then failed to win when the Lakers put together an All-Star squad. It's a coincidence if he knocks two players on one team if they happen to deserve the criticism, but Payton has seemingly gone out of his way to slight Rondo and Garnett in less than two months. That, my friends, does not sound like a coincidence to me.)
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Garnett was tremendous in his matchup with Dirk Nowitzki today. Garnett means a ton to the Celtics' team defense, which is only valuable when the five guys on the floor act as a cohesive unit. He's loud with his instructions to the guys on the perimeter, and his rotations from the weak side set an example for guys like Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, Brian Scalabrine and Leon Powe. While his presence obviously changed the way everyone on this team began playing defense last season, it's sometimes forgotten how strong of an individual player Garnett can be. There aren't many players in the league -- and probably none who can do it to Garnett's level -- who can challenge Nowitzki the way Garnett did today. I'll be the first to admit I think Nowitzki is too soft, and he can get taken out of the game when you get in his head. That's exactly what Garnett did, and he has the tools to overpower Nowitzki in the post and chase him around the court. As a result, Nowitzki missed his first seven shots and was 2-for-12 from the floor with seven points at halftime, when the Celtics led by 27. Nowitzki finished with 18 points on 4-for-17 shooting, just the fifth time in his career he's taken at least 17 shots without making at least five of them.
Move it around. I've made this point a few times, but I wanted to bring it up again because Doc Rivers said in his postgame press conference there were at least eight times in the game when the shot clock got down to five seconds and the Celtics made two more passes before getting off a shot. The Celtics' ball movement was a thing of beauty today, or "poetry in motion," as Eddie House called it. They had 34 assists on 50 field goals, more or less meaning a pass led to 68 percent of the Celtics' made field goals. Heading into the game, the Celtics had an assist on 60.2 percent of their field goals. Rondo had 14 assists for the sixth time in his career -- all in the last 11 months -- and fifth time this season, and Ray Allen had a season-high seven assists. It also helped that the Celtics had just eight turnovers.
Starting strong. I made a point to ask a specific question around the locker room after the game: Now that the Celtics are going good again, is there anything else they've learned about themselves when looking back at the skid when they lost seven of nine. The most common answers were fairly predictable -- better bench play (no question), more ball movement (we've been over that) and better execution on defense, particularly in the passing lanes (certainly) -- but there was one that really stuck out. Ray Allen told me teams had been gunning for them early in games. Again, that's nothing new. But he said the Celtics needed to strip their opponents' confidence right away. They needed to get out strong and make other teams understand who they're playing. "Playing the world champs, they're probably getting a great pregame speech," Allen said. So, it's no coincidence the Celtics have gotten out to huge leads in the last few games -- twice against the Nets and also against the Suns, Heat and Mavericks. They're doing this on purpose. It's one thing for teams to say, "Hey, let's build an early lead." It's a completely different thing for teams to go up by 30 in the first half.
Alley-oop. It's a good bet that one of the hottest plays on other teams' scouting reports is the alley-oop from Rondo to Garnett, a play they've been exploiting for about a month now. "We're going to milk it," Rondo said with a wry smile. Thing is, this isn't so much of a set play as it is an option in certain sets. Rondo and Garnett are on such a similar wavelength that they're calling this play with little more than eye contact. (Think about the success Tom Brady and Randy Moss have had with one another. Defenses know it's coming, but they can't stop certain routes because Brady calls them by first reading coverages.) Rondo said they usually convert the alley-oop off a pick-and-roll. If defenders can't get on the same page, one of two things will happen: the alley-oop or an easy lay-up by Rondo. It all depends on Garnett's man. If he jumps up on Rondo, they've got the alley-oop.
From downtown. Eddie House has gone 7-for-11 from 3-point range in two of the last three games. Over that span, including an 0-for-1 effort against the Magic, House has raised his season percentage from .363 to .392, which is a tick under his .393 percentage from last season. This is a result of House doing things without the ball to create his shot, rather than doing it off the dribble, which happens far too often when he's struggling. It's pretty fundamental when you think about it. Defenders don't want to chase a guy through two or three screens while doing a couple laps around the court. They'd rather square up a shooter who isn't great at losing a guy off the dribble. One thing leads to another, and House is thriving because he's running through the offense the way that best suits his game.
C's romp Mavs
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 4:18 p.m.
The quote of the day -- and there were some good ones -- came from Ray Allen, who was complimenting Glen Davis and the hard work he's put in on his jump shot. But Allen didn't hold back on Baby's quirky form, saying, "He's got like Charles Barkley's golf swing."
Thanks for playing
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 2:51 p.m.
Everything's bigger in Texas ...
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 2:06 p.m.
No defense in Dallas
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 1:36 p.m.
Barea in Boston
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 1:29 p.m.
The Mavericks got into Boston late Friday night, and Barea spent a couple hours at Northeastern yesterday, walking around the campus, meeting up with some old friends and grabbing a bite to eat at Chicken Lou's.
"It’s so cold," Barea said. "I’m not used to it, but it’s great to come back for a couple days and say hi to the people who have helped me out for four years. It’s good to come back."
Barea left a few tickets for some friends today, but being three years out of college now, he said his most immediate ties to the program have dwindled. Plus, the basketball team was on the road yesterday, so he couldn't catch up with them. He did, however, watch the Huskies lay a beating on Old Dominion, the first game he got to see on TV this season.
Barea is one of a number of recent success stories out of Northeastern. Carlos Pena helped the Rays get to the World Series, and the hockey team is leading Hockey East and -- dare I say -- has a legitimate chance to end its 21-year Beanpot drought.
"I heard hockey was doing good this year," Barea said. "Carlos Pena, I followed him before I even knew he was at Northeastern, before I got here. He had a great year."
Check out tomorrow's Metro for more on Barea.
Good morning, Boston
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 25, 12:25 p.m.
Tony Allen will miss his 11th consecutive game with a sprained right ankle, but there is some good news on that front. Doc Rivers expects Allen to practice the next two days and might be ready for Wednesday's home game against the Kings.
Kendrick Perkins is also working his way back to game shape. He's averaged 4.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and about 24 minutes in the two games since returning from his shoulder strain. Returning in time to play two games in 24 hours certainly helped him last week.
"Back-to-back games are a great way to shock your system," Rivers said.
Mavericks guard Jose Juan Barea, a Northeastern product, is also making his return to Boston today. I'll have a little more on him in a bit.
And finally, the Celtics are 21-2 at home, 8-4 in January, 6-1 on Sundays, 9-5 against the Western Conference and 2-1 against the Southwest Division. This is their first game of the season against the Mavericks after the C's took both contests against Dallas last year.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 11:30 p.m.
Analysis after the Celtics beat the Suns, 104-87, to win their fifth consecutive game and improve to 34-9:Lane violation. The Celtics' defense is at its best when it's jumping the passing lanes, tipping balls and doing things to create a fast break. I thought that was the most significant absence from their game when they lost seven of nine, and it seemed to wake them up when the Cavs did just that two weeks ago. Simply put, they got beat at their own game, and that hasn't come close to happening during their five-game winning streak. They were at the pinnacle of their defensive game tonight, forcing 23 turnovers (which turned into 28 points), including 15 turnovers during the decisive first half.
Celtics make their case. When it comes down to it, it really doesn't matter a whole lot how the rest of the league views the Celtics. Statement games are (extremely overused, though not by me) phrases for the media. But there is something to say about the quotes from opposing teams in the last month, with players saying they believe they can beat the Celtics now that they've shown a dent in their armor. That belief may disappear slightly now that the Celtics have won five straight -- their third streak of at least five consecutive wins this season -- especially on the heels of the nationally-televised affair against a good Suns team. Wins against Toronto and New Jersey are fine and dandy, and every team in the league is likely to get theirs against those teams. But victories against Shaquille O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns carry a bit more weight.
"It was a good, old-fashioned ass whooping, and there is nothing more to say, period" O'Neal said.
"We got a good old spanking tonight," Suns coach Terry Porter echoed. "This is the worst [loss] of the year. No doubt."
KG is a quote machine. When Kevin Garnett is holding court, he can be one of the funnier athletes in the city. Sure, he loves to preach about going a game at a time, but there have been the Superman rants about Paul Pierce, blurbs about Rajon Rondo's ability to be in five places at once and tonight's breakdown of what it's like to guard O'Neal, whose listed weight of 325 pounds is 72 pounds heavier than Garnett. "It's like holding up a wall. Go home, knock out the foundation in your house and just hold up the wall. When it's about to fall on you, that's what it's like holding Shaq. Just knock out the side of your house and when the wall is coming towards you, hold it up for 48 minutes over two hours, 15 minutes. Have someone in your house come hold it, you take a break, get some Gatorade and come back and just hold it up. That's what it's like guarding Shaq." Garnett also said the matchup between Glen Davis and O'Neal is "just like a boulder moving a boulder."
No love for Amare. Amare Stoudemire, who I think should be the second most important player in terms of priority during the 2010 free-agent bonanza, was held to three points on 0-for-7 shooting and just one rebound while being guarded mostly by Brian Scalabrine. I'll give you a minute to get up, walk around, get some air, let that sink in, maybe grab a sandwich and collect yourself. OK, now that we're back on the same page, this was just the ninth game in Stoudemire's career he's been held to three points or less (he's been held scoreless three times). It was the sixth time he's ever been held without a field goal. The last time he's had such a poor offensive performance was Nov. 22, 2006 against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. This was the second time he's been held to so few points with just one rebound. And I guess if you really want to stretch out the stat, this is the first time in his career he's had fewer than four points, one rebound and four turnovers. Doc Rivers and Tom Thibodeau wanted Scalabrine to front Stoudemire, which is a change in tactics for the Celtics. With smaller forwards and centers coming off the bench, Rivers typically has his guys stay behind bigger players (ex: Dwight Howard) to keep them out of the paint because any pass that goes over the top of the defender will equate to an easy dunk. Not so much tonight.
C-Notes. The Celtics scored the first six points of the game, and the Suns never got closer than four points after that. After leading by as many as 35 points, the Celtics were outscored, 29-15, in the fourth quarter to make the score look closer than it should have. ... Fans always love a dunker, and Billy Walker has really become a fan favorite since returning from the D-League. ... The Celtics (47.9) percent and Suns (47.2 percent) had very similar field-goal percentages, but the Celtics took an extra 22 shots (94-72). ... Glen Davis was phenomenal tonight with nine points and nine rebounds. This is the third time in his career he's had as many points and rebounds in the same game, but he's never had a double-double. ... The Suns' draft-night decisions in recent years have been nearly as criminal as the Grizzlies' trade of Pau Gasol to the Lakers last season. Phoenix ownership has become famous for trading picks for money, which helped the Celtics get Rajon Rondo on draft night in 2006. When asked about the Suns "drafting" Rondo, Steve Nash tried to remain politically correct: "We've had a few draft-night trades to stay under the salary cap that were difficult in the big picture. Our franchise is built on a business model that tries to stay under the cap as much as possible. It's just how it's been."
Sun sets on Phoenix
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 10:30 p.m.
The Celtics completely dismantled the Suns here at the
Garden tonight, 104-87. None of the Celtics' starters played in the fourth quarter.
None of the Suns' starters played for any of the four quarters, so they were at
a bit of a disadvantage with that. Amare Stoudemire, who recently complained
about his role in the offense, was 0-for-7 from the floor and had three points
and one rebound. The Celtics have won their fifth straight and improved to
34-9. I'll have more later.
Same ol' same ol'
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 9:47 p.m.
Like I figured, the Suns showed up with a little more offense in the third quarter, but their defense left a great deal to be desired. The Celtics have an 89-58 lead heading into the fourth, and the starters will be on the bench for Gino once again. Rajon Rondo has 23 points, seven assists and five rebounds and has completely dominated the older, slower Steve Nash.
Celtics cruising
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 9:07 p.m.
This thing is over. Sure, the Suns have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league, but they don't have half the defense required to erase a 30-point deficit. The Celtics lead this thing, 64-34, at halftime. They're shooting 57.1 percent (28-for-49) as a result of strong ball movement with 17 assists. The Suns, however, have 15 turnovers that have turned into 20 points for the Celtics. The C's are doubling up the Suns on the boards, 26-13. And they're without Kendrick Perkins.
Kevin Morris? Really?
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 8:51 p.m.
Considering this is a Celtics blog, I'll keep this rant as short as possible. UMass really screwed up by hiring Kevin Morris today as the new head football coach. Morris has been the offensive coordinator for the last five years under former head coach Don Brown, who left to become the defensive coordinator at Maryland. Sure, Morris has led a dynamic offensive during his time in Amherst, but who couldn't thrive with weapons such as Liam Coen, Brandon London and Steve Baylark, among others? In fact, Morris was the crutch that held back the offense on a number of occasions, calling trick plays that wouldn't work in your back yard against your 4-year-old cousins and refusing to stick with what works during games in which the Minutemen are cruising. UMass made it to the national championship in spite of some of Morris' mistakes in 2006, and he was good for a head-scratching play call seemingly every weekend. I covered the team in 2004 and 2005 -- his first two seasons as the offensive coordinator -- and could go on and on if I spent a little more time to go back to my notes, but I'll get back to watching the whipping the Celtics are giving the Suns instead.Oh, and Morris was fired when he worked at WPI, so there's that.
Heroes Among Us
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 8:47 p.m.
The Celtics recognize someone during every home game as a "Hero Among Us," and tonight's ceremony is a really cool one. In honor of MLK Day, the Celtics just honored 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist Tommie Smith and Charlene Carlos, the wife of 1968 Bronze Medalist John Carlos, who was unable to attend the game. Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the medal ceremony to recognize the Civil Rights movement in the United States, and they ended up getting suspended from the Olympic team as a result. Smith and Charlene Carlos will address the Celtics after the game, which is a bit cooler than the time Jared from Subway somehow snuck in there.
It sure isn't sunny in Phoenix
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 8:33 p.m.
The Celtics got off to a great start, while the Suns haven't risen yet (I'll be here all night). The C's took a 30-15 lead after the first quarter with Rajon Rondo leading the action with eight points and three assists. Ray Allen, who has tickets to tomorrow's inauguration, scored 10 points in the opening quarter. The Suns have shown how bad they can look when they don't feel like going at it on defense.By the way, Shaquille O'Neal mentioned Glen Davis before the game, calling him "my son." This is in reference to Davis' other nickname, "Baby Shaq," which came about during his days at LSU, where O'Neal also attended.
There was a lot of speculation over the last week over O'Neal's status for tonight's game. Shaq-a-pulco hasn't always suited up on both ends of back-to-backs this season, but coach Terry Porter said before the game the Suns' early start in Toronto yesterday allowed Shaq to rest enough for tonight.
It's always sunny in Boston
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 19, 8:23 p.m.
Late start for me tonight. I was working on something for the paper earlier, but you've got almost all of my undivided attention now. So you've got that going for you, which is nice.Anyway, the Celtics (33-9) and Suns (23-15) are underway here at the Garden. I'll try to get you as caught up as possible. If you're watching on TV or following the blog on your iPhone at the game -- because who doesn't do that? -- you've already figured out Kendrick Perkins is wearing another one of his "Godfather" suits and is again out of the lineup with a shoulder strain. Perkins has been going through non-contact drills at practice and is working out with the team much like he did during the preseason, but he's not completely ready to get hit. He'll fly with the team during their two-game swing in Florida -- Wednesday in Miami, Thursday in Orlando -- but there is still no indication on whether or not he'll play.
The condition of Tony Allen, on the other hand, has not improved. He's still out with a sprained ankle and is at least another week away from returning. He won't go with the team to Florida.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 15, 12:15 a.m.
Analysis after the Celtics beat the Nets, 118-86, to win their third consecutive game and improve to 32-9:Rondo’s intangibles. Devin Harris’ crossover is downright filthy, and the kid is going to score a lot of points in this league because of it. He can create his own shot by driving to the bucket as well as any point guard I’ve seen this season, and his offensive numbers could put him in the All-Star Game. Beyond that, though, I’d still take Rajon Rondo any day of the week because the Celtics’ floor general does other things that propel his team to victory. Harris had a team-high 17 points and three assists, and his scoring kept the Nets within a reasonable margin in the first half. But he also committed five turnovers before the break and hurt New Jersey ’s chances of ever making a serious run. Those turnovers also stemmed from Rondo’s aggressiveness along the perimeter. Harris finished the game with six turnovers and three steals, while Rondo had 11 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, three steals and four turnovers. Even though Harris held the edge in scoring, Rondo had nine more assists, meaning he was more valuable to his team than Harris.
Confidence is key. There’s a lot to be said for the Celtics’ confidence and how it affects their game. As talented as their starting unit can be, they’re not a championship-caliber group without their killer swagger. These last three games have been a step in the right direction toward the Celtics regaining that edge. Despite Toronto’s record, don’t discount two wins against that team, which is the biggest wild card in the league because there are more deadly shooters there than an Army Ranger battalion. Two difficult wins — made exponentially harder with the back-to-back factor — helped the Celtics regain that winning feeling, which they clearly lacked last week against the Rockets. Then tonight, the Celtics put together their most complete game since their win against Washington nearly two weeks ago. If the C’s finish off the home-and-home sweep, they’ll carry a four-game winning streak into Monday’s home showdown with the Suns, which could turn into the marquee victory the Celtics have needed since their skid.
C-Notes. Eddie House left the game with a mildly sprained left ankle. He said he’ll definitely be ready to play Saturday in New Jersey . … Brian Scalabrine was more than serviceable with the starting unit. He finished with nine points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal and no turnovers. I can recall a couple instances when a taller player would have grabbed an extra rebound, but there were no points in the game when Scalabrine actually hurt the Celtics, which is everything they can ask out of a guy stepping in for their starting center. … The Celtics finished with a 19-5 advantage in fast-break points. … Glen Davis hit his first career 3-pointer before the first-quarter buzzer. He’s now 1-for-2 in his career from beyond the arc. When told his career percentage is higher than that of Ray Allen’s (.397), Davis responded, “Not many people can do that, so I’m happy.”
Boston beatdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 9:59 p.m.
The Celtics smoked the Nets here at the Garden to the tune of a 118-86 victory. I'll have more later.
It's raining 3's
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 9:27 p.m.
Paul Pierce scored 18 points in the third quarter and knocked down all five 3-pointers he attempted to push the Celtics' lead to 88-60. I'm putting the stamp on this one. Really brave of me, I know. But did you really think the C's would lose with Walter McCarty in the house? Come on now.
Celtics maintaining control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 8:44 p.m.
The Celtics lead the Nets, 51-41, at halftime here at the Garden. Kevin Garnett leads the way with 14 points and six rebounds, and Ray Allen has 10 points. The pace of this game favors the Celtics, as they've been able to get out and score nine points on the fast break, forcing 13 Nets turnovers in the process. Look for the starting unit to really put some pressure on New Jersey early in the third quarter. If the Nets can't respond by taking better care of the ball, this will be a 20-point game quickly.
C's out fast
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 8:08 p.m.
Glen Davis knocked down a 3-pointer before the buzzer to give the Celtics a 30-23 lead over the Nets after the first quarter here at the Garden. If there were ever a time I could be in the Celtics' huddle, this would be it to hear what they're saying to Big Baby.By the way, Vince Carter is exceptional at making little injuries look like the death of his career. It's happened twice against the Celtics in the last two seasons, when he's dropped to the floor, rolled around like he took a cannonball to the knee and then disappeared from the game making everyone watching wonder if he'll ever be able to walk again. Carter left the game early in the first quarter after it looked like his right knee got Willis McGahee'd, acted like that kid Joe Pesci shot in "Goodfellas" and returned a few minutes later to knock down a fade-away jumper. Nate Washington would be very unimpressed.
Put a Jersey on
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 7:01 p.m.
We're creeping closer to tip-off between the Celtics (31-9) and Nets (19-19). The Celtics have won two straight, are 19-2 at home, 3-4 in January, 5-1 on Wednesdays, 23-4 against the Eastern Conference and 8-1 against the Atlantic Division. This is their first meeting of the season with the Nets.The best one-on-one matchup tonight pairs two of the most underappreciated point guards in the league with Rajon Rondo and Devin Harris, who landed in New Jersey last season when the Nets shipped away Jason Kidd. Harris, a four-year veteran, has always been a tremendous talent, but he was greatly overshadowed by the cast in Dallas, including everyone from former MVP Dirk Nowitzki to owner Mark Cuban. Now in New Jersey, he's averaging career highs in points (22.9), assists (6.7), rebounds (3.3) and steals (1.6), and he's been a dangerous compliment to Vince Carter. Harris is one of the few point guards in the league who can match Rondo's speed, too. Harris is also two inches taller and seven pounds heavier than Rondo, so we'll see if that reach comes into play at all. While neither Rondo or Harris will garner enough votes to start in the All-Star Game, each player still has a decent opportunity to make the squad. Whoever plays better in these next two games might just earn the coaches' vote.
A big key tonight will be the Celtics' ability to get out and run on New Jersey's bigs, and that will tie directly into the C's halfcourt defense. If they can snipe the Nets' passing lanes like they did against Toronto (and like the Cavs did to the Celtics), they'll be able to run more. Don't be surprised to see Doc Rivers keeping Rondo away from the offensive glass to ensure his team a better opportunity to run the break.
Get this, the Nets have six players who are at least 6-foot-10. The Celtics have three, and one of them (Kendrick Perkins) will not be playing tonight. Brian Scalabrine will start in his place.
Back at it
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 14, 7:01 p.m.
My apologies for not keeping you up to date during Monday night's contest between the Celtics and Raptors, but my immune system was terrorized by an evil force not even Jack Bauer could neutralize. So I had that going for me. Anyway, I'm back at the Garden tonight getting set for the first leg of a home-and-home between the Celtics and Nets, which will conclude Saturday afternoon in New Jersey.The biggest news of the night came from Kendrick Perkins, who said he's no longer feeling any pain in his sore left shoulder. Perkins still won't play tonight for the third consecutive game and said he won't be back to the court until Monday "at the earliest" when the Celtics host the Suns. That will prove to be a tricky situation for Perkins and Doc Rivers. With Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix's front court, the Celtics could use all the size they can get, and Perkins isn't one to shy away from playing against the league's best players. But like usual, Rivers said he won't listen to what Perkins says about his shoulder (for that reason) and will rely on the medical team to determine Perkins' status.
Celtics recall Giddens, Walker
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 8, 6:22 p.m.
The Celtics have recalled rookies J.R. Giddens and Billy Walker from the Utah Flash. Giddens appeared in 13 games for the Flash, averaging 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 rebounds, 1.46 steals, a team-high 1.54 blocks and a team-high 37.6 minutes per game. He was ranked 20th in the NBDL in scoring, 13th in field-goal percentage (53.5%) and seventh in blocks. Walker appeared in 15 games for the Flash, averaging a team-high 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.33 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He was ranked 11th in the NBDL in scoring and sixth in field-goal percentage (55.7%).The Breakdown
The Celtics are clearly lacking in depth, and Giddens and Walker have torn up the Development League. With Tony Allen sidelined with a right ankle strain, the C's have had to go really small by rotating Eddie House, Gabe Pruitt and Ray Allen at the small forward position when Paul Pierce has been on the bench. This would have caused a serious matchup problem -- or a demand for Pierce to play about 45 minutes tomorrow night to guard LeBron James -- the Celtics could ill-afford to gamble on. Look for Walker to get some early minutes on James.
This move makes sense in another way. With the combination of Tony Allen's injury, Doc Rivers having no plans to play Sam Cassell, and Patrick O'Bryant serving little purpose against the Cavs, the C's can activate both Walker and Giddens while knowing there's no dead weight on the bench. That's not an attack on the game of Cassell or O'Bryant, but there's no sense in dressing both players if you know they won't see the court.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 11:58 p.m.
Analysis after the Celtics fell to the Rockets, 89-85, at the Garden. It was the Celtics' third consecutive loss and their sixth defeat in eight games. It also marked the end of their 13-game home winning streak.Intensity issue. While defense drives the Celtics, it’s their intensity that drives their defense. That is the most noticeable difference between the Celtics of now and the Celtics of the first 29 games of this season and all 108 games last season. Doc Rivers pointed to their lacking intensity before the game even started, and that was a huge factor when the final buzzer sounded three hours later. It was mostly evident in the fourth quarter, when the C’s had 11 points, their fewest scored and the Rockets’ fewest allowed. What’s more astounding is how those points actually went down. Gabe Pruitt scored five points early in the fourth before Ray Allen hit a pair of free throws with 4:16 to play, Paul Pierce knocked down a jumper at the 2:43 mark and Rajon Rondo hit a lay-up with 1:34 remaining. That’s it. Four field goals on 18 attempts, and the starters accounted for two of them and six points overall. Earlier this season, the Celtics destroyed teams in the fourth quarter, stepped on their throats and beat them more when they got up. In their three consecutive losses, they failed to make a run at the Knicks, let the Bobcats dominate an overtime and barely even got off the mat against the Rockets. Think about it — it took more than nine minutes for a starter to make a bucket in the decisive quarter, and this team has the best starting unit in the league, maybe even in the last eight years. I’m not trying to say the Celtics are mailing it in or anything, but there’s a stark difference between their mentality this week than I’ve seen from them in the last 14 months. They need their swagger back, and they’ve got a golden opportunity Friday in Cleveland .
Championship effort. Before the Celtics lost six of their last eight games, they had been 93-18 in their first 111 regular-season contests since Kevin Garnett and Allen came to town. That means they’ve accounted for 25 percent of their regular-season losses in about two weeks. They were correct when they said before the season started they’d be getting every team’s best effort every night, but it’s almost eerie to see some of these teams’ bench players showing up with supernatural powers. Two Celtics were talking in the locker room after the game about the Rockets, when one said in disbelief, “Von Wafer?” No offense to the guy who doesn’t have a first name or anything, but he scored 12 points on four 3-pointers tonight, including a huge dagger from the corner with 43 seconds to play. Then there was Aaron Brooks, who apparently was neither Michael Vick’s cousin or an interception-happy quarterback for the Saints. Brooks dropped 19 points off the bench, the third highest total of anyone in the game. If you told me before the game tonight Wafer and Brooks would combine to score 31 points, I would have asked what in the name of Pervis Ellison is wrong with you.
Baby brings it. Despite giving up nine inches to Yao Ming, Glen Davis gave the Rockets’ big man all he could handle tonight. Granted, there were times when Yao made “Big Baby” and everyone else on the court look invisible, including his last put-back, but Davis brought it in a super-sized way in this game. He had a season-high 12 points and grabbed two rebounds, but he frustrated Yao when Kendrick Perkins failed to do so. In fact, Davis had four more seconds of playing time than Perkins due to his manic play. Davis is always going to be labeled a “tweener,” a guy who is too short to play power forward or center but not agile enough to handle other small forwards. But when he brings the energy he displayed tonight, he’ll always demand playing time because he’s deceptively strong and can keep guys out of the paint when they try backing him down. Yao scored 11 of his 26 points in the first quarter, before Davis really got into the flow of the game. After that, it was the Wafer and Brooks show.
C-Notes. Without Tony Allen on Friday in Cleveland , the Celtics are going to have a brutal time defending LeBron James when Pierce is on the bench. That is, of course, unless Pierce plays about 46 minutes. … Garnett, who hurt his right calf after getting whacked Sunday against the Knicks, had it wrapped in the locker room after the game tonight. … The Celtics scored 31 points in the first quarter and just 54 the rest of the way. Ray Allen is 4-for-24 (16.7 percent) from 3-point range in the last three games. … The C’s were doubled up in the paint, 36-18. It was their fewest points in the paint all season.
Fourth-quarter face plant
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 10:00 p.m.
The Celtics scored a season-low 11 points in the fourth quarter and fell to the Rockets, 89-85. I'll have more later.
C's by 3
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 9:21 p.m.
The Celtics reclaimed control and are taking a 74-71 lead into the fourth quarter. Paul Pierce continues to lead the way with 24 points, four assists and three rebounds.
Breaking down in the second
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 8:50 p.m.
The Celtics' bench struggled without Tony Allen in the second quarter, lost the momentum created by the starting unit and the C's surrendered the lead as a result. The Rockets scored 14 of their 30 second-quarter points in the paint, and that was with Yao Ming playing less than half of the quarter. Houston is taking a 52-49 edge into the third.
C's start strong
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 8:07 p.m.
The second biggest story in the first quarter was the Celtics jumping out to a 31-22 lead on the Rockets, thanks to 10 points from Kevin Garnett and 11 from Paul Pierce, who hit all three 3-pointers he took.The biggest story, though, was the cast of vertically-challenged characters storming the floor. First, Von Wafer was victimized by the false hopes that led him to believe he could be like Mike, when he was badly rejected by the rim on a dunk attempt. Next, Rajon Rondo forgot his trampoline when he tried to dunk over Yao Ming, who's got 17 inches and 132 pounds on the Celtics' point guard. And finally, Glen Davis fell for Yao's Chauncey Billups up-fake when thinking he could Dikembe Mutombo Yao's shot into the third row. What has all this taught us? That David and Goliath story was a flat-out lie.
Ready to launch
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 7, 7:27p.m.
The Celtics (29-7) and Rockets (21-15) are just a few minutes from tip-off here at the Garden in a matchup between two teams that have been struggling -- the Celtics of late, and the Rockets all season. The only thing going on during the pregame action surrounded what wasn't going on, and that was Rockets coach Rick Adelman showing up 25 minutes late to his press conference.Tony Allen won't play again tonight, as he's still nursing a right ankle strain. Doc Rivers said Allen underwent an MRI, and Allen will miss "probably the next couple games." Rivers said he didn't know the results of the MRI.
The Celtics won't practice tomorrow before they leave for Cleveland in anticipation of Friday night's playoff rematch with the Cavs. Rivers just wants his players to take the day off to rest and spend time with their families, as he said they've only been home for three days since leaving for the West Coast on Dec. 23.
Dikembe Mutombo is here with the Rockets, who signed him Dec. 31. Mutombo was also interested in joining the Celtics, and while Rivers said the feelings were reciprocal, the Celtics weren't ready to make an immediate commitment.
"We just couldn't pull the trigger as soon as he needed us to pull the trigger," said Rivers, who preferred to see which players would be available later in the season.
The Celtics have lost five of seven, are 18-1 at home, 1-2 in January, 5-0 on Wednesdays, 8-4 against the Western Conference, 2-0 against the Southwest Division and 1-0 against the Rockets, a 103-99 win in Houston on Nov. 4.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 10:40 p.m.
Analysis after the Celtics beat the Wizards, 108-83, to improve to 29-5 and win their 13th consecutive home game:S.O.P. A win like this is exactly what the Celtics needed after three stressful losses during their four-game road trip. It was pretty much status quo when it comes to the majority of the Celtics’ victories over the last season and a half — a blowout decided before the final quarter with the starters resting as the bench closes it out. And this thing was decided early on. The starting unit immediately put its stamp on the game with a 10-0 run in the first quarter that gave the C’s a 23-10 lead. And the bench did its work in the second quarter to nearly double that advantage. After the C’s least successful stretch of the season, it was a pretty good indicator they’d want to come out in front of their home crowd and dominate the worst team in the Eastern Conference, and they won their 13th consecutive home game in impressive fashion. The next two shouldn’t be much more difficult, as the Celtics visit the Knicks on Sunday and the Bobcats on Tuesday before returning home Wednesday to take on the Rockets, who some believe to be a Finals-caliber team. This dismantling of the Wizards gave Boston its swagger back, and as a number of opposing teams have said through the early portion of this season, the Celtics are a brutal team to tangle with when they’ve got their swagger. That, I believe, is something they lost for a few days after the defeat in Los Angeles . I wouldn’t read much into the national outlets’ assessment that the C’s lack of depth has caught up to them — that’s a ludicrous, extremely ill-informed opinion, in all honesty. They just lost three games to three dangerous teams. This, for all intents and purposes, was a lay-up, and the Celtics posterized the Wizards.
Ball movement. The Celtics said the biggest key to tonight’s victory was their ability to move the ball on offense, and they finished with 31 assists. In comparison, the Celtics had just 53 assists in their three losses on the road trip, and they’re only averaging 18 assists per game in their five losses this season. Their opponents have had more assists than them in four of those five contests. On the contrary, the Celtics are averaging 21.8 assists in their 29 victories this season. Clearly, Rajon Rondo is a huge factor in that area, and he had 14 assists tonight, but his assist numbers don’t exactly correlate to the Celtics’ success, if you look strictly at the numbers. Rondo averages 7.2 assists per game in wins this season but 7.8 assists in losses.
C-Notes. Paul Pierce made his first five 3-pointers before missing his sixth and final attempt from beyond the arc. Danny Ainge has the single-game team record with six made 3s without a miss. Asked if he would have liked to take Ainge’s record, Pierce said jokingly, “I guess so because he doesn’t hold many records. It would have been nice to erase his name.” … Brian Scalabrine said after the game Doc Rivers printed out the team’s schedule before the season and showed it to the players. There was just one thing that stood out: Each of the 82 games on the calendar had the Celtics as their own opponents. It was a message to his team that the Celtics only have to worry about themselves, and if they don’t beat themselves, they don’t have to worry about who they’re playing on any given night.
It's official
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 9:52 p.m.
The Celtics put this one in the books early and just finished off their 108-83 beatdown of the Wizards at the Garden. I'll have more coming soon.
Bench time
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 9:18 p.m.
Rajon Rondo made up for a late mistake by accounting for five points in the Celtics' last two possessions, a one-handed dunk and a crafty assist on a Ray Allen 3-pointer from the corner. The Celtics have an 86-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter, and there doesn't appear to be much need for the starters to put in any more work, although Allen is on the court with the second unit. (Allen just got taken out 12 seconds into the quarter.)
King of the Cassel (Overused headline alert)
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 8:59 p.m.
Matt Cassel just went walking by with Steve Pagliuca and is sitting with the Celtics' owner on the baseline on the side of the court adjacent to the C's bench. Cassel is wearing a white fitted hat that's hanging just above his eyes, but he still got a small ovation from the fans he walked past. It's on a small sample size, but it appears Cassel is still relatively anonymous compared to other local sports celebrities. For instance, if Tom Brady just walked by, girls would have seen him all the way from the Berkshires.
Paging the Wizards
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 8:40 p.m.
The Celtics have shown up, which is good for those of us who came here expecting to watch a little basketball. That's because the Wizards, who might finish the season with more coaching changes than victories, are nowhere to be found. The C's have a 58-34 lead at halftime, the bench put in a tremendous shift, the starters have been solid all the way around and this thing is just about over. The Celtics' starting unit has about 10 more minutes of action left in it before Doc Rivers lets them take the rest of the night off.
The Butler didn't do it
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 8:02 p.m.
Caron Butler's buzzer beater was disallowed, and the Celtics have a 28-14 lead after the first quarter. Paul Pierce was alive in the first, scoring 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting, including three 3-pointers.
Breaking down the CBA and LeBron
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 7:50 p.m.
As I wrote earlier, I have something for the paper this week about the wild free agency period that is scheduled to rock the NBA in the summer of 2010. It was, of course, centered around LeBron James and his chances of landing in Boston, and it will be on the Web by Monday morning. Anyway, I threw around some projected salary numbers that teams can dish out to LeBron when the time comes, and I wanted to be a little more clear as to how I arrived at those figures.First of all, based on recent salary caps, I projected the 2010-11 NBA cap to be at $64.6 million, and individual limits roll off from that figure, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Since LeBron will have seven years of NBA service when he is a free agent, he'll fall into the bracket (of seven- to nine-year veterans) that allows him to command a first-year salary of 30 percent of the team cap. If he chooses to sign with a team other than the Cavs, his salary can escalate by 8 percent every year over a five-year contract, the maximum amount of years a team other than the Cavs can offer him. That will break down as follows:
2010-11: $19.4 million
2011:12: $20.9 million
2012-13: $22.6 million
2013-14: $24.4 million
2014-15: $26.4 million
Five years, $113.7 million
So, any team other than the Cavs can offer LeBron a maximum of five years and $113.7 million, based on my cap estimate. Obviously, those teams can only offer that money if they stay under the cap, but there are 15 teams with less than $30 million on the books for the 2010-11 season, not including team and player options. There will obviously be plenty of suitors for his services.
It will be a little more tricky for the Celtics, who would only have enough free cap space to offer James $16.2 million for the 2010-11 season. By escalating his salary by 8 percent each year over the course of the deal, the Celtics could extend an offer of five years and $95 million.
Now, here's where the Cavs have a huge advantage. Because of the Larry Bird Rule, the Cavs can offer LeBron six years and a max salary without regard for the cap. This was put in place by the league so teams have an advantage when trying to grow their own stars. What's more, the Cavs can increase his salary by 10.5 percent each season. Here's how a contract from Cleveland would break down:
2010-11: $19.4 million
2011:12: $20.4 million
2012-13: $22.5 million
2013-14: $24.9 million
2014-15: $27.5 million
2015-16: $30.4 million
Six years, $145.1 million
Clearly, Cleveland has a
distinct advantage in terms of salary leverage, even if the endorsement
opportunities might pale in comparison to cities like New York, Los
Angeles and Boston. And how about that ridiculous figure of $30.4
million? If LeBron was starting a new deal that season, he'd be looking
at about $10 million less in that season alone.
Anyway, you
can check out the full story in the Metro holiday edition right now or
online Monday. I'll link to it when it's online and will bump up this
post for more clarity.
Marbury in focus
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 6:50 p.m.
Marc Stein 
reported earlier today a deal "will happen" this season that would place
disgruntled Knicks guard Stephon Marbury on the Celtics.
That could happen in one of three ways. The Knicks could trade him to the
Celtics, which has a 0 percent chance of going down. They could waive him,
giving the Celtics and every other team in the league a chance to claim Marbury
and the remainder of his $20.8 million salary. (The Knicks have played 30
games, meaning Marbury has been paid about $7.6 million this season.) That's
also very unlikely. Or the Knicks could buy him out, and he'd be free to sign
with any team for the veteran minimum, the most likely scenario. It's been
widely reported, though, that Marbury is unwilling to negotiate a buyout for
less than his salary. Unless he decides to step back up to the bargaining
table, he'll likely finish out his contract and become a free agent this summer.
I spoke earlier with one highly respected veteran NBA writer who said Stein is
typically dead on when he breaks news, which means this report could have a
great deal of credibility, although the writer still wasn't confident Marbury
would be willing to take less than the money to leave
the Knicks.
Doc Rivers declined to comment on the matter due to NBA tampering policies,
which would be an instant fine at the very least.
C's crafty
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 5:56 p.m.
Anyway, the Celtics are 17-1 at home, 7-2 on Fridays, 20-1 against the Eastern Conference, 5-0 against the Southeast Division and 1-0 against the Wizards, a 34-point whipping in Washington on Dec. 11. I'm heading down the hall now and will be back to post before the tip.
Welcome back
Posted by Jeff Howe, Jan. 2, 5:38 p.m.
92-83 loss to the Lakers. Rajon Rondo didn't have his best game, and the Lakers played on Christmas Day like the other 81 contests were nonexistent. And confetti? Seriously?
99-89 loss to the Warriors. You could see this one coming. With the 19-game winning streak out the window, the Celtics looked like they needed a night off.
108-63 win against the Kings. Also predictable. The Celtics woke up, and the Kings are royally horrible.
91-86 loss to the Blazers. Portland played by hockey rules, and the refs stabbed the C's in the neck with a pair of skates.
Also, if you haven't checked out the Metro holiday edition that's been on newsstands this week, I formulated a plan in which the Celtics (and other teams) could use to sign LeBron James in two summers. The story will be online by Monday morning, and I'll write up a Cliffs notes version to post on the blog later tonight.
The Breakdown: Extended Edition
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 11:48 p.m.
How long will it last? The Celtics won their 19th consecutive game tonight to set a new franchise record and tie the fourth longest winning streak in NBA history (with the 1999-2000 Lakers). Coincidentally, the Celtics will get a chance to pass an old Lakers streak when they take on the current version of L.A. ’s bandwagoning bunch Thursday afternoon at the Staples Center . The question obviously has to be asked: How long can the Celtics keep this thing going?
Two things must first be understood: First, the Celtics are clearly the best team in the league and can be expected to beat any team on any night, all things being equal. Second, knowing a winning streak like this has only been replicated four other times in the history of the NBA, it’s perfectly clear how difficult such a feat can be to accomplish, and this thing could snap at any moment.
Since those last two points didn’t exactly resolve anything, let’s take a look at what lies ahead. The Celtics embarked for Los Angeles tonight in anticipation for their second longest road trip of the season, which will be trumped by a six-game beast in February. After the Lakers, the Celtics visit Golden State on Friday, a place they lost last season in a wild shootout (do the Warriors win any other types of games?). The C’s close the trip by visiting dormant Sacramento on Sunday before heading to Portland next Tuesday. Obviously, the Blazers will be looking to save some face after being whipped by the Celtics here a few weeks ago, but considering how inept the Blazers can be when they’re thoroughly intimidated by a physical team like Boston , Portland is unlikely to hold serve at home. Sweeping that trip would give the Celtics 23 straight wins, which would be the second longest streak in league history, trumping the Rockets’ 22-game stretch last season (The Celtics ended their streak in Houston , by the way). Speaking of the Rockets, they’ll be in Boston on Jan. 7, a night when the C’s will be going for their 27th in a row. The parallels are strong enough to garner a ton of national attention.
Two nights later will be one of the Celtics’ biggest tests of the season, their first trip to Cleveland . The nationally-televised contest on Jan. 9 might wind up being the Celtics’ 28th straight. The C’s could have an opportunity to tie the 1971-72 Lakers league record with a 33rd consecutive win (a number with a Celtics feel, for sure) when they host the Suns on Jan. 19, and they can set a new record two nights later with a victory in Miami.
So, here I am on Dec. 23 talking about a record-breaking streak that can’t be accomplished until 29 days — and 15 wins — from now. It’s obviously premature, but it’s worth looking ahead after the Celtics just won their third straight game by at least 18 points. You can only dissect so many of the same types of wins before it makes sense to forecast what lies ahead. With 512 words already in the books, I’ll make my best attempt to answer the original five-word question. I think the Celtics will sweep through the trip out west, beginning with a game at the Staples Center that doesn’t fit the hype, win four more after that and then lose in Cleveland on Jan. 9. How long will the streak last? My best guess is 27 games.
Pine production. The Celtics’ bench put forth its best effort in about a month tonight, starting with Tony Allen in the second quarter and continuing through Leon Powe scoring 11 of his season-high 15 points in the fourth quarter. Outside of Ray Allen’s 4:13 of action in the final quarter, the bench did a strong enough job holding the lead to keep the starters on the bench with the game in hand.
This space was originally supposed to deal with the struggles of the bench and what they need to do to turn it around, but they must have read my mind before I could pen the words because they followed their recipe throughout the game. Starting off, Tony Allen needs to be the facilitator of the second unit. He’s no Rajon Rondo, nor does he pretend to be, but Allen can create havoc in the paint when he gets aggressive moving toward the basket. Allen doesn’t have to be a dominant scorer — although his finishing ability needs some work — but he’s a good enough passer at times to free up his teammates, whether it be Powe on the block or Eddie House and Gabe Pruitt on the perimeter. Pruitt is definitely starting to show some things while running the offense, not to the point where he should be the primary point guard behind Rondo, and Doc Rivers is doing a good job of letting the offense start with Pruitt. He should absolutely be capable enough to warrant significant time off the bench during the postseason. Down low, Powe has the interior moves and finishing skills to be another good complimentary scorer with Allen and House. Powe isn’t good enough to the point where he can get the ball 12 feet from the bucket and continuously pound it toward the rim, but he’s got enough moves in his arsenal to do some damage if Allen can get the defense moving in the wrong direction before feeding Powe for an easy dunk.
The second unit is typically pretty strong on defense, starting up top with Allen and continuing in the paint with the physicality of Powe and Glen Davis, but the bench gets in trouble when the ball sticks on offense. The best way for the bench to pick up where the starters leave off is to keep Allen active from the moment he gets on the court.
Non-trash talk trash talk. The Lakers made it very clear early this season they've got the Celtics on their radar. Whether they've announced the ban of green clothes in the locker room, using the Finals as a model for how to improve or just pointing to their Christmas Day showdown at the Staples Center, the Lakers haven't ignored the Celtics one bit, at least not through the media. The Celtics, however, aren't saying anything, using the classic "one game of 82" phrase when asked about the rivals from out west. And believe me, the Celtics have been asked about the Lakers at LEAST 20 times in the last week. I honestly believe the Celtics' mode of turning their backs on the question is their form of public trash talk. They just won't let the Lakers know they're on the minds of those in Boston. If the Celtics acknowledge the Lakers in the same sentence, I think they're looking at it as a form of equality. And clearly, the Celtics don't believe the Lakers are their equals. That's how I see it.C-Notes. The Celtics had a Christmas party in their locker room after the game. The wives set up decorations during the fourth quarter, including presents and a tree. The players’ kids were also there, and the team put a video together, too. When the party cleared, the team packed up and left for L.A.
Nineteen in a row
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 10:02 p.m.
Celtics up a dozen
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 9:25 p.m.
Late Celtics charge creates distance
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 8:43 p.m.
As a side note, Patriots linebacker Junior Seau is here, and no one has tried tackling him yet.
Glen Davis has been sitting at the end of the Celtics' bench all night in street clothes, which is a good sign considering Doc Rivers gave him the option of staying away from the gym to get treatment if he needed it.
Celtics out in front
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 8:06 p.m.
In the Paint goes On the Field
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 7:53 p.m.
estimated in April
the Yankees were worth $1.3 billion, which is slightly more than
they're paying eight people who can't even take the field at the same
time. Yankee fans are getting their popcorn ready, all right, but
they'll be investing in Smartfood bulk bags considering a tub of
popcorn is going to cost about 18 bucks at the new Stadium next year.
Going streaking
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 23, 7:04 p.m.
Anyway, here's what's been going on tonight around the Garden:
Rajon Rondo said his team at Oak Hill Academy won 44 consecutive games during his senior year, and that's the longest winning streak he's ever been a part of.
Doc Rivers said the team set three main goals prior to the season: Win a world championship, lock up home-court advantage for the playoffs and become a better team than last season. He said right now the starting five is better than last year's version, but the bench is worse.
Next, the traffic around the city tonight has been an extra shade of crazy, and a few Celtics were late getting to the Garden, which isn't as bad as the Sixers' situation. Philly's first bus was a bit late, but the team's second bus got here very late, less than an hour before the game is set to start.
Glen Davis, who suffered a concussion and other mild symptoms during a car accident Sunday afternoon, will not play again tonight and isn't expected to play Thursday against the Lakers, either. Rivers gave no immediate timetable for his return.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 20, 12:19 a.m.
Pierce laying low. Paul Pierce scored 16 points tonight, fourth on the Celtics behind Ray Allen (27), Kendrick Perkins (career-high 25) and Kevin Garnett (17). Pierce entered the night averaging 18.6 points per game this season, a tick above Allen’s 18.5 for the team lead and the lowest average of his career since he was a rookie. This is after he went off early in the season and had me writing in this very space that he deserved to garner some consideration for the MVP. While I’m not reneging how valuable Pierce is to the Celtics, I was definitely too presumptuous to think he would keep killing teams in the fourth quarter (at least at the pace in which he’d warrant the MVP vote). He can obviously still go off when he wants to or when the Celtics need him — just look at his 10-point, four-assist third quarter tonight. But I get the feeling Pierce is completely fine with playing a more reserved role of a facilitator rather than a dominant scorer. Another case from the third quarter tonight: Just a few minutes after knocking down an open 3-pointer from the right arc, Pierce got the ball alone at the top of the 3-point line, began to take the shot, then hit Kevin Garnett with a strike in the paint, and Garnett got an easy dunk and drew a foul. Pierce was obviously feeling it in the third but instead opted to deliver the ball to a teammate. Again, he can score when he wants, and there are sure to be a few more 30-point nights this season, but he’s having too much fun embracing more of an all-around role at the moment.
Perks of the picks. Perkins came through with a career night tonight, and I’m not convinced the Celtics called a single play designed to get the ball to Perkins on the first option. Doc Rivers said after the game he recently told Perkins he’s doing such a good job putting up offensive numbers that he doesn’t want his young center to think he’s morphed into an offensive juggernaut. Rivers told Perkins before the game tonight to concentrate on setting picks to free up other scorers, particularly Allen. If Allen is open on the wing, Perkins’ defender would have to rotate outside and Perkins would find himself open for an easy dunk. That happened a few times tonight, and Perkins put up his career-high 25 points without even setting foot on the court in the fourth quarter. While Perkins is undoubtedly playing excellent basketball, he’s really doing a great job of taking advantage of his situation by playing his role perfectly around three potential Hall of Famers. Of course, it also helps that Perkins is in the best shape of his life and puts in his time in the gym. “You root for guys who really put their hours in,” Garnett said.
Fly away, TA. Tony Allen’s windmill dunk on the fast break in the fourth quarter didn’t have anything to really do with the Celtics’ win tonight, but it’s certainly a small victory for Allen and the coaching staff. He’s had so many opportunities to really punctuate a breakaway since his return from the knee injury, but he hasn’t always busted out his unique brand of creativity, meaning he’s probably spending more time thinking about landing than taking off. Tonight’s windmill (against the team from the Windy City ) was another sign he’s getting closer to believing in his ability rather than failing to trust his own physical skill.
C-Notes. After the Celtics tied a season low with 14 assists against the Hawks two nights ago, they had a season-high 40 assists tonight, led by Rajon Rondo’s 15. Their previous season high was 31, which they had against the Wizards last week … Gold medal sprinter Usain Bolt, the “World’s Fastest Man,” was in the crowd and met with the Celtics after the game. Much of the discussion involved who would win a race between Bolt and Rondo. Rondo was apparently the only one who thought he would come out a winner. … Garnett joked he was afraid the team would trade him after pulling down just one rebound tonight. … A year ago, teams ignored Rondo when he had the ball. Now, his penetration has caused so much chaos you’d think teams are playing defense with bags over their heads.
Celtics blow out the Bulls
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 9:49 p.m.
Career night for Perk
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 9:25 p.m.
Celtics C's control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 9:20 p.m.
Bulls back in it
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 8:33 p.m.
Not good for Gooden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 8:17 p.m.
Running away from the Bulls
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 8:03 p.m.
Snow day
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 19, 7:40 p.m.
Due to today's snowstorm, the Celtics had the option of staying at a nearby hotel after shoot-around in case they didn't want to worry about the commute. In the Paint's official attendance tally had Kendrick Perkins at the hotel and Ray Allen passing on the deal. J.R. Giddens and Billy Walker are with the Utah Flash and the other 11 are unaccounted for. OK, so I'd be a lousy teacher.
And finally, Bulls starting forward Tyrus Thomas is not with the team after suffering a concussion.
Pierce says he's fine
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 16, 12:12 p.m.
It may have been a coincidence, a knee-jerk reaction (couldn't resist) or a practical joke by one of Pierce's teammates, but there was a wheelchair in the hallway after the game. Several in the locker room said they still give Pierce a hard time for getting wheeled away during Game 1 of the Finals in June, so the possibilities are endless.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 11:44 p.m.
Perk pounds the paint. Without All-Star forward Carlos Boozer, who was out with a strained biceps, the Jazz are softer on the interior than a toilet paper factory, and Kendrick Perkins flushed Mehmet Okur and Utah ’s big men down the drain tonight. It’s not uncommon for Perkins to eat up lesser opponents, but most of the centers in the Eastern Conference are willing to put up a fight. The Jazz don’t have that without Boozer, and Perkins put up 15 points and a season-high 14 rebounds. While Paul Millsap (career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds) and Okur (13 points, six boards) had some numbers, they did the brunt of their damage from the outside. As Kevin Garnett put it after the game, “Someone had to score” for Utah , and it sounded like they were fine with Millsap providing the damage as long as Deron Williams remained quiet.
Back on track. Speaking of Williams, Rajon Rondo took Utah ’s point guard out back and had his way with him. After having a difficult game against Chris Paul and the Hornets, Rondo really came back against Williams, who was drafted one pick ahead of Paul in the 2005 draft. There’s no doubt Williams is still limited from his ankle injury, but he’s widely labeled as the second best point guard in the game (behind Paul). Rondo seemed tentative against the Hornets, started slow and never got fully up to speed, and he looked revved up from the jump tonight. He scored seven points in the first quarter and had five points and two assists during a 13-2 run that put the Celtics up by 12 early. When it was all over, Rondo nearly had his second triple-double in as many weeks, finishing with a career-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Not to mention, he was 11-for-15 from the free-throw line, making and attempting more than anyone in the game. When he’s that aggressive in the paint, the Celtics don’t lose.
Response time. After the Celtics’ lost their early lead due to some stagnant play by the bench, things were shaping up for some in-game déjà vu in the fourth quarter, which the Celtics entered leading by four. Rondo stayed on the court at the start of the quarter but made way for Pruitt for a few minutes, and the rest of the bench rotation (minus Eddie House) remained pretty much intact. Anyway, this seemed to have the feel of a game that might slip away from them, especially after the Jazz dominated the fourth quarter in last season’s 18-point win at the Garden. But the Celtics showed their mettle and kept responding in the fourth. The Jazz scored on five straight possessions (11 points) in a two-minute stretch (from five minutes down to three remaining on the game clock), but the Celtics followed all but one of those buckets with a point of their own. Typically, when the C’s defense lets its guard down, the offense stumbles, too. That wasn’t the case tonight, and chalk it up as another way the Celtics found a way to win a game this season.
C-Notes. Pierce and Garnett were later than usual to their postgame press conference because Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and Jared the Subway guy met them in the locker room after the game. Pierce and Garnett couldn’t hold back their laughter when saying Jared told them he never has to pay for food at Subway again. … In related news, Luke Ridnour is somewhere smiling knowing he’s not the most useless guy to set foot in a Garden locker room this year. … The Celtics have benefited from opponents’ injuries in the last two games. Boozer was out tonight, and Hornets center Tyson Chandler didn’t play Friday. … The Celtics took a season-low six 3-pointers, making three. Gabe Pruitt was 2-for-3, and Ray Allen was 1-for-3. … The Celtics’ 23 turnovers led to 28 points for the Jazz.
Celtics win
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 10:30 p.m.
Celtics by a nose
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 9:22 p.m.
All tied up
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 8:40 p.m.
Celtics out strong
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 8:05 p.m.
Speaking of Williams, he said before the game Rondo has the fastest hands in the NBA.
Start the music
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 15, 6:52 p.m.
The Celtics are 13-1 at home, 6-0 in December, 2-0 on Mondays, 6-1 against the Western Conference and 3-1 against the Northwest Division. The Jazz are 3-8 against the Eastern Conference, including a 1-4 mark on the road.
The biggest news of the night is Jazz forward Carlos Boozer won't play due to a strained tendon in his left quadriceps. Paul Millsap will start in his place. Boozer (team highs of 20.5 points and 11.7 rebounds) is a dominant force on the low block and a more difficult assignment than the Hornets' David West, which obviously serves as a huge advantage for the Celtics.
On the C's side, Eddie House is not with the team because he is attending the funeral services for his aunt. He's expected to rejoin the team in time for Wednesday's game in Atlanta, but Doc Rivers said House is permitted to take all the time he needs. Gabe Pruitt will get some of House's minutes, and it sounds like Sam Cassell will only play in an extenuating circumstance.
And finally, due to a tractor trailer accident on I-93, a few Celtics have been showing up late tonight.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 11:07 p.m.
Taking over. Of late, Paul Pierce hasn’t looked like the dominant offensive force who blitzed through the middle of November, but he showed tonight he’s still one of the best closers there is. This time, it was in the third quarter, when Pierce scored 13 of his 28 points and helped the Celtics turn a small deficit into a lead that changed the pace of the game. With Peja Stojakovic guarding Pierce, the Celtics’ captain went to work on nearly every possession, and he found ways to score even when the Hornets overloaded his side of the court because they knew Pierce was on a mission. Third quarters have been a difference maker for the Celtics all season, and you could tell at halftime it was going to be more of the same story. Pierce catapulted the team to a 14th consecutive win.
Paul Rondo’d Rondo. It’s easy to get excited over Chris Paul’s numbers, and why not? The fourth-year product from Wake Forest has been the best point guard in the NBA since the beginning of last season and entered the night averaging 20.3 points, 11.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. But it’s even more impressive to watch him in person. Don’t slight the fact that he makes guys like Devin Brown, Morris Peterson and Rasual Butler look like pretty good offensive players. Paul creates passing lanes that don’t exist, both on the break and in the half court, and he runs the fast break as well as I’ve seen anyone do it in the league this season (the Hornets outscored the Celtics, 19-6, on the break). More than that, he made Rajon Rondo look human tonight, holding the Celtics’ point guard to one of his rougher performances of the season after a stretch in which Rondo dominated everyone who matched up against him. The lines tonight: Paul had 20 points, 14 assists, six rebounds and three turnovers. Rondo had 10 points, a season-low two assists, four rebounds and one turnover.
Price of admission. With the emergence of Rondo, the early-season dominance of Pierce and the marksmanship of Ray Allen, it’s been easy to look past the contributions of Kevin Garnett, who is burglarizing teams with a steady stream of double-doubles. The Big Ticket’s ability to quietly put up 15-point, 10-rebound nights with such ease is almost unparalleled across the league. Garnett had another 19 points and 10 boards against the Hornets and really streamlined the offense early when the Celtics struggled behind Rondo. Most impressive about his performance tonight was who he did it against. David West (23 points, 14 rebounds) is one of the most physically imposing power forwards in the league and brings it on both ends of the court, and there were times when the two looked like they were downright wearing each other out with their one-on-one battles.
C-Notes. Kendrick Perkins was way too much in the paint for a Hornets team without starting center Tyson Chandler. Perkins had nine points, all of which came in the second half, and 13 rebounds. … James Posey was virtually a non-factor with seven points, seven rebounds and one steal. He was also dropped by Glen Davis on one of the finer full-court picks set by a Celtic this season. … Garnett said after the game one of the reasons this Celtics team is better than last year’s is because they have more of a “killer mentality.” ... For what it's worth, Doc Rivers out-coached Byron Scott all night long.
Fourteen in a row
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 10:37 p.m.
Celtics jump ahead
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 9:57 p.m.
Hornets up a point
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 9:09 p.m.
Knotted after one
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 8:35 p.m.
The importance of Posey
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 8:09 p.m.
Peja Stojakovic: "From the very beginning, he’s been vocal. He’s been a leader, and he brings what most people don’t see on the stat sheet in the game. He does the little things, and that really helps the team. He’s been a very big lift for us."
David West: "He’s just been a guy who has been in just about every situation possible in the NBA in terms of winning. There’s a certain perspective he brings to the team that we didn’t have. Peja has made some runs in the playoffs, but he’s never won championships. There’s a different level of respect for a guy who has won championships. He comes in the game. We know what he can do. We expect him to come out there and make plays, and he does that.
"We understand that everybody’s got a voice on this basketball team, regardless of your position. But what he says, we understand it probably holds a little more weight because of the experience that he has."
Tyson Chandler: "It’s nonstop for him. He’s constantly aware of where we need to improve. He’s constantly on guys, individually and as a team, pushing us to get to the level that he knows we need to get to. We haven’t necessarily had that voice around. It’s good to have that, especially knowing what he’s accomplished. Winning rings carries more weight.
"In the huddle, I didn’t realize how vocal he is. That’s one
thing we were lacking, and that’s one thing that he’s improved for our team.
"[Being the missing piece is] what we’re hoping for. I think it’s the piece that helps bring the squad together. It’s been that way so far in helping us grow. I think having a guy like that makes the other four guys on the court aware of what it takes to win basketball games and what it takes to win the big game."
Ring ceremony: Take 2
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 8:01 p.m.
Almost game time
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 7:45 p.m.
The Celtics had a quick scare on the plane trip home from D.C., as the storms through the northeast didn't discriminate against those who were at 35,000 feet. There was a ton of turbulence, and the landing was a little shaky, too. But Rajon Rondo said he did his part to keep the team calm, particularly Kevin Garnett, who he jokingly said was suffering something of a panic attack. The team got in at 2:30 a.m., and Rondo said, "At least we were on the ground."
And finally, Hornets center Tyson Chandler won't play tonight due to a neck injury he said he either suffered Wednesday against the Hornets or later that night when he was sleeping. Former UConn center Hilton Armstrong will start in his place.
Posey's big return
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 12, 6:19 p.m.
"It's going to be emotional, just coming here as far as what we were able to accomplish with this organization," Posey said at the Hornets' shoot-around today. "It's known for winning and bringing titles and championships here. For us to be a part of that tradition, that's history. It's going to mean a lot."
Though the Hornets won't be back in Boston in the regular season, Posey is counting on a few more games in the event both teams reach the Finals.
"I jokingly said, well I wasn't joking, but I said I'll see you all in late June," Posey said.
Posey realized he has the chance to go down in Boston sports history with other champions who had short tenures in the Hub such as Orlando Cabrera.
"I really think it will be a warm, great reception for the most part," Posey said of how he'll be received during the pregame ceremony. "While I was here, it was great. They're just great fans, period."
All-Star returns released
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 11, 2:11 p.m.
Ray Allen is fourth among the guards with 174,155 votes, and Rajon Rondo isn't on the list. Dwyane Wade (623,311) and Allen Iverson (492,093) are the top-two vote getters among Eastern Conference guards.
Dwight Howard (775,933) is the leader among Eastern Conference centers, and Kendrick Perkins is way down the pack at ninth with 24,777 votes.
Forwards Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire, guards Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul and center Yao Ming are the leaders in the West.
The 2009 All-Star Game takes place in Phoenix on Feb. 15. Starters are voted in by the fans, and they will be announced Jan. 22. Coaches in each conference will then vote for the reserves, which will be announced Jan. 29.
The Breakdown
Forwards. The Eastern Conference forward position is pretty much locked up by James and Garnett, and Pierce is an extreme long shot to be voted in as a starter. The guy with the biggest gripe might be Danny Granger, who is currently 10th and should probably be in the top five or six.
Guards. Wade certainly deserves the top spot here, but Iverson is a complete joke. Not only has he played poorly since being traded to the Pistons, but his presence on the court appears to directly correlate with Detroit's struggles in the first half. He doesn't belong up top at all. As we currently stand, there's more of a case for Allen to be a starter at guard than Pierce at forward. With more than 300,000 votes to make up on Iverson, though, he's in trouble there. The guard position is littered with controversy as it stands through the first returns, not just with Iverson. Luke Ridnour, who might be the worst starting point guard in the NBA, is at sixth. Jameer Nelson, who has been hurt most of the season, is seventh. And then there's Gilbert Arenas, who hasn't played at all this season but is in 11th. The two biggest snubs are Devin Harris and Rondo. Harris is just about the only watchable player on the Nets at this point, but he is sitting just head of Arenas in 10th place with 94,294 votes. That's simply a disgrace. As far as Rondo not being listed in the top 11, well, this is a blog about the Celtics, so I don't really need to plead his case. I was never under the illusion he had a chance to be voted in as a starter because the rest of the country just doesn't know him yet, but it's pretty shocking he's behind a guy like Ridnour, who's been embarrassed by Rondo this season.
Center. This is pretty much status quo. Perkins has been playing extremely well this season and deserves to be in the top six with Howard, Samuel Dalembert, Rasheed Wallace, Al Horford and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. In the East, let's face it: there's Dwight Howard and everybody else. Perkins has outplayed Howard, Dalembert, Horford and Ilgauskas when he's faced each of them this season (he doesn't match up with Wallace), so you could make that argument. But Howard is asked to be a star for the Magic, and he's great at filling that role.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 11:21 p.m.
Digging in on defense. The Celtics were clearly struggling offensively tonight, but you could see them really turn the switch to defense when the starters re-entered the game in the second quarter. After Rudy Fernandez’s dunk put the Blazers ahead, 36-35, with 3:54 to play in the first half, the Celtics shut them out for the rest of the quarter — and then some. The Celtics closed the second on a 14-0 run that turned a tight affair into a 49-36 contest. A 7-0 spurt after the break (21-0 overall) pushed the margin to 56-37 and cleared the way for an easy finish the rest of the way. The Celtics held the Blazers without a point for 6:59 between the second and third quarters and without a field goal for 8:53 , a remarkable stretch against any team, let alone one that has five players scoring in double figures. (Side note: Even with those five scorers, the Blazers often lose their identity on offense, particularly when things aren’t going so hot. They really need a more demanding point guard out there — there’s been a rumored trade in the works that would send Mike Conley Jr. from Memphis to Portland in exchange for Travis Outlaw — and it’s never a good thing when Brandon Roy has to carry the rock. As a two-guard and the team’s most fluid scorer, it’s a sin to waste him by putting him at the point.) Anyway, the Celtics have been in a tremendous defensive rhythm since the start of the season, and they entered the night ranked first in the NBA in points allowed per game (90.3) and field-goal percentage allowed (41.01). One visiting coach in the last week said the Celtics might be the best defensive team in 25 years, and that’s a pretty scary thought.
Man down. It obviously hasn’t been a difference maker in the last two games, but the Celtics are definitely missing Tony Allen’s scoring off the bench while he’s been out with a sprained right ankle. Of course, it’s pretty much a moot point when the starters scored 105 of 114 points against the Pacers and 74 of 93 tonight against the Blazers, including 63 of 74 through three quarters — before the fourth-quarter stats sort of changed the story of what really happened in the game. Allen has averaged 8.8 points per game this season, good for fourth on the Celtics, and his scoring ability with the second unit really takes the pressure off Paul Pierce and Ray Allen early in the second and fourth quarters. I understand Tony Allen’s significance on this team in the long run is on the defensive end, but he’s definitely been missed on the offensive side over these last two games. Doc Rivers said before the game it’s highly unlikely Allen will play Sunday at Indiana , and they’re hoping to get him back Thursday at Washington .
Oden looks his age. OK, say what you will about the 20-year-old looking like he’s 45, but he’s definitely playing like the rookie he is. He had five points, six rebounds and fouled out after playing 18 minutes tonight and was never a factor in the game. There are definitely signs of life with his defensive ability, but his foul-prone ways are typical of a player that age (remember Al Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins in their early years?). Offensively, Oden looks like a mess. Sure, he’ll clean up enough rebounds and turn them into points, and that’ll be enough to allow him to average a double-double once his career really starts to progress. Right now, though, his low-post moves are very slow and extremely unintimidating. Perkins (12 points, 12 rebounds) ate him up in the paint. It was also interesting to listen to the Garden crowd get all over Oden and rain him with boos at every opportunity when the majority of these people were praying on a nightly basis he’d be the future of the franchise just a year and a half ago. After the game, the Celtics were glowing over Oden’s future (especially Perkins, who doesn’t hand out compliments to opposing players very often), but it’s definitely going to take a couple years for him to be a real force.
C-Notes. Look, I can’t write about Rajon Rondo every night, but he had another one of his typical 16-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist performances. It’s becoming too easy for this kid, it really is. Oh, and once again, he completely devoured a lesser point guard in Steve Blake.
Celtics cruise again
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 10:37 p.m.
This one's over
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 10:00 p.m.
The D's the key
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 9:10 p.m.
Celtics up after one
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 8:34 p.m.
Oregon Trail
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 5, 7:43 p.m.
What's most remarkable about Portland is its age. The Blazers are the second youngest team in the NBA to Golden State with an average age of 24 years, 166 days. This roster is downright stacked with superstars in waiting (though you could argue some already have that status). Oden, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernandez might all be All-Stars at some point. I'd make a loose comparison to the Blazers and the Tampa Bay Rays, who were down for so long and struck it rich by hitting on every single one of their lottery picks. They're easily in the top three of NBA teams I'd go out of my way to watch on a nightly basis.
Tony Allen will sit out again tonight with a sprained right ankle. He suffered the injury in the second quarter against the Magic but came back to play. As of Wednesday, Allen didn't rule out playing tonight but was shooting for Sunday. Doc Rivers said earlier he doubts Allen will play Sunday in Indiana but could return at Washington next Thursday. The Celtics are off Monday and will likely practice Tuesday and Wednesday.
I've also got to give a shout to whoever baked that amazing chocolate cake that was in the media room before the game. Wow, just wow.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 11:55 p.m.
C’s run through Rondo. It’s obvious Rajon Rondo is in the midst of the best stretch of his career, and he finally cracked through with his first triple-double tonight with 16 points, a career-high 17 assists and a season-high 13 rebounds. Doc Rivers said after the game he told Rondo a couple weeks ago he needed to improve his “mental focus” on a nightly basis in order to reach this point. But the key with Rondo’s performance tonight was what happened with the other four starters. Aside from Ray Allen knocking down a season-high six 3-pointers and scoring 31 points, the other starters had some of the quietest performances of their season — despite all scoring at least 16 points. That can be credited directly to Rondo, who makes it look easy for everyone around him, and their stats pile up as a result. In case you didn’t notice, Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 14 rebounds, Paul Pierce had 16 points despite struggling from the floor and Kendrick Perkins added 16 points and 10 rebounds. So, give Rondo all the credit in the world for recording his first career triple-double, as he certainly deserves it, but don’t forget the other key statistic in the starters combining to score 105 points. That’s what a true point guard does for a team.
“It seemed like there were like three Rondos out there tonight,” Garnett said. “I looked up and he passed the ball to [Pierce], and it came off the rim and he was rebounding. All of a sudden, I got back on defense, and he beat me back. Then [Danny] Granger went to drive, and he got the strip, got loose and threw it out for a lay-up and he got the lay-up. I sort of had to turn around. This boy was everywhere tonight, straight up. Didn’t it feel like that? I just call it like I see it, man.”
Good things come in three. The Celtics outscored the Pacers, 31-22, in the third quarter, when the game essentially broke open. After Indiana got within 62-55, the C’s ripped off a 21-4 run that sealed the deal, sans a brief Pacers run early in the fourth quarter. Over the last season and a half, the Celtics have been a tremendous third-quarter team, and they’ve won a lot of games immediately after the break. Rivers says he doesn’t go all Lou Holtz on his team in the locker room; he just reinforces what their objectives are during that game and emphasizes how they need to be achieved. It’s pretty common to see Garnett and company come out of the break with a fire in their eyes, lock things down on defense, score a few easy points, get the crowd involved — or silence the crowd on the road — and build a large enough margin to coast to a victory.
Perfect 10. I’ll say this: The Celtics look like they could develop into a team that might end up being better this season than last season, and it’s hard to argue they’ve ever looked this dominant over a 10-game stretch than they do right now. But let’s chill out with the talk of the Celtics “playing better than they ever have” under the new regime because that’s an insult to what they did last spring. Maybe I’ve spent too much time around the Patriots, but I believe in the school of thought that you don’t trump the performance of a championship run with a 10-game spurt in the first quarter of your schedule.
C-Notes (milestone edition). Pierce needs 20 points to pass Kevin McHale (17,335) for the fourth most in Celtics history. … Pierce grabbed five rebounds tonight to pass Bob Cousy (4,781) and tie Antoine Walker (4,782) for the ninth most in franchise history. … Garnett needs 19 points to pass George Gervin (20,708) for the 29th most in NBA history. … Garnett needs eight blocked shots to pass McHale (1,690) for 22nd on the all-time list. … Garnett had one steal tonight to pass Clifford Robinson (1,402) and tie Randy Smith (1,403) for 38th all-time.
Celtics avenge loss, Rondo goes nuts
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 9:55 p.m.
Pacers got Rondo'd
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 9:25 p.m.
Celtics taking control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 8:36 p.m.
Celtics reclaim the lead, Granger in focus
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 8:06 p.m.
Danny Granger, who scored a game-high 20 points in the Pacers' win against the Celtics last month, had nine points, two assists and one rebound in the first quarter. Granger is actually loosely tied to the Celtics, who heavily coveted him in the 2005 draft. When Indiana was on the clock with the 17th pick, Doc Rivers knew he was about to get one of the two players he was hoping for with the 18th selection: Granger or Gerald Green. Of course, the Pacers went with Granger and the Celtics wound up with Green, who was sent to Minnesota in the package that landed Kevin Garnett. Granger, a 6-foot-9 forward out of New Mexico, is starting to emerge into a star while Green is catching on a bit in Dallas, where defense isn't required to earn playing time.
It's worth wondering how things might have panned out if Indiana passed on Granger and left him for the Celtics. I'm not saying he would have been worth any more wins in 2006-07 than Green, but his presence in a deal for Garnett could have potentially spared someone like Ryan Gomes or maybe a draft pick. Or, maybe Danny Ainge would have rather waited it out and decided the core of Pierce, Ray Allen, Al Jefferson, Granger and Rajon Rondo was worth developing for another couple seasons.
Terrible move in Toronto
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 7:59 p.m.
He had a tremendous plan of acquiring European talent that didn't mind playing in Canada, and he had a good crop of shooters who could spread the floor and play a deadly brand of basketball that isn't used anywhere else in the league. It's not Mitchell's fault the Raptors traded a really good young point guard in T.J. Ford -- who is here tonight with the Pacers -- for an angry, injury-prone veteran big man in Jermaine O'Neal, whose game does nothing to help Mitchell's system.
I don't know what kind of preconceived notion they've got up in Toronto about what type of basketball tradition they've got and how many games they should be winning, but here's a news flash: Be happy with making it to the playoffs and putting people in the seats when you're season coincides with the Maple Leafs. And while I'm on the Leafs, they're not even any good right now. If it were so easy to put a winning team out there every night of every season, the Leafs would be doing that right now. And if Raptors management thinks they should be competing with the Celtics this season, they're lying to themselves and that's a whole different mess not even worth our time.
Ray Allen's friend had a scare in India
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 7:25 p.m.
"I was like, 'Of all the places in the world, he's in that hotel?'" Allen said.
His friend, Darryl Jones, reached Allen on the phone and asked what was going on because he was stuck in a room on the 21st floor, and the power was out. Jones actually left the room earlier, saw a mass of dead bodies in the lobby and ran back upstairs to bunker down in the room. Allen was giving him a play-by-play of the events while watching them unfold on television, especially advising Jones not to let anyone know he was from America because that's who the terrorists were targeting.
"You don't have a passport," Allen recalled telling Jones. "You're from Jamaica. You've got to use your accent."
Allen said he was trying to tell Jones to find a way to the United States consulate, which was nearby, but Jones didn't want to risk the move.
"He said no way because there were still terrorists in the hotel, and he didn't know who was what, so he was like, 'I don't want to take any chances,'" Allen said.
When everything eventually cleared, Jones was transported to Amsterdam before flying to Germany and found his way home safely.
Tony Allen out
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 7:10 p.m.
He said he woke up yesterday morning and could barely walk, and he had a very noticeable limp while moving through the locker room tonight. Doc Rivers hasn't ruled out Allen playing Friday against the Blazers, but said he's more hopeful to see him on the court Sunday in Indiana. Allen said he'll undergo a precautionary MRI, which will most likely take place tomorrow. There are no plans for him to return to the court on any date, as it's a wait-and-see type of injury.
Pace yourselves
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 3, 6:56 p.m.
Former Celtics coach and current Pacers coach Jim O'Brien is obviously impressed with his team's marquee victories, but he's also taking them with a grain of salt. First, he noted they've both been at home. He said the Celtics were coming off an emotional week following the raising of the banner and coming off an 8 p.m. start against the Bulls the night before, and he noted the Lakers last night were making their first trip east and may have been a little more tired than usual, hence the fourth-quarter collapse. Either way, the Pacers are shaping up to be one of those teams that annoys a bunch of playoff contenders throughout the season and could find themselves battling for an eighth seed in April.
As for some Celtics news, Tony Allen will not play tonight due to his sprained ankle. I'll have more coming on that in a few minutes.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 11:41 p.m.
Runnin’ Rajon. When I asked Paul Pierce why the offense looks so much better now than it did just a few weeks ago, he made it sound pretty simple. Pierce said Rajon Rondo is just shredding defenses, “causing havoc” and setting everyone up in position to keep things running smoothly. And when he plays like that, Pierce said the offense is “unstoppable.” Rondo had 16 points and 12 assists tonight and tore up an Orlando team that was without its starting point guard in Jameer Nelson. The third-year floor general had some trouble staying consistent last season, particularly in the playoffs, but he’s been on a streak of late that is the best of his career, which Ray Allen noted afterward, too. There have been two occasions in the last week when Rondo has broken his man off the dribble to the point where Pierce and Allen have been laughing while walking back up the court, and it’s only a matter of time before he is mentioned among the league’s elite point guards. I’m not saying Rondo is as good as Deron Williams or Chris Paul, or has the potential of Derrick Rose, but he’s got a place in the discussion similar to the way Pierce belongs in the same status as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Through 19 games, Rondo is a certifiable All-Star, and Doc Rivers added, “If everyone doesn’t see it, it’s a shame.”
Magic matchups. With the imposing presence of Dwight Howard
in the paint, this was a game the Celtics had to win on the perimeter, and
that’s exactly what they did. Howard, the most physically imposing center in
the league — sorry, Yao , but Howard
knows how to use his size — was held to 14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.
Great numbers, for sure, but Howard never took over control of the game with a
5-for-12 night from the floor. The Celtics can thank Kendrick Perkins (eight
points, 13 rebounds) and Kevin Garnett (15 points, nine rebounds) for that.
Perkins and Garnett were called on to keep Howard out of the paint because he’s
nearly impossible to contain once he’s got an alley to the basket, and the
Celtics’ duo expended a ton of energy getting that done.
That left Pierce and Allen to lead the way on offense. Allen came out of the gates with nine points in the first quarter, and Pierce dropped 17 in the third. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are average defenders who spent the night trying to contain Pierce, but Allen was left to toil with the likes of J.J. Redick and Courtney Lee, who won’t ever find themselves on any All-NBA defensive teams. Magic coach Stan Van Gundy pointed to that as the difference, saying, “Their guards (including Pierce) were outstanding.”
Benchmark production. Doc Rivers called out the bench for a
bad first-half performance in a win against the Warriors last Wednesday, which
was surprising in that it was true. Even though the Celtics’ bench is
constantly ridiculed by those around the league (clearly by those who watch
30-second highlights and don’t spend time observing the team for a game or
two), I strongly believe it’s the most important second unit in the NBA. They
don’t have James Posey anymore, there’s no sixth-man superstar like Manu
Ginobili and they don’t have the appeal of the Lakers, but this group does
exactly what the Celtics need them to do. They bring an incredible amount of
energy, stay on target with their defense, make hustle plays that change games
— drawing charges, causing jump balls, diving on the floor for loose balls —
and can get timely points from guys like Eddie House, Leon Powe and Tony Allen.
Anyway, they had a mini-slump last week, and it happened again in the first half tonight, as they allowed a 15-point lead dwindle to two points at the half. Rivers said they weren’t making those hustle plays on defense, and they were playing too much like individuals on offense, refusing to make the second, third and fourth reads on plays and trying to get the scoring on their own. As a result, Rivers looked tentative going to his bench in the second half. Glen Davis replaced Kendrick Perkins midway through the third quarter due to Perkins picking up his fourth foul, but the next subs didn’t enter until there were 27 seconds remaining. Clearly, they got the message, as the bench scored 14 of the first 16 Celtics points in the fourth quarter, capped off by Eddie House’s 3-pointer that put them ahead, 92-75, and iced the game.
C-Notes. There were eight technical fouls called tonight, including five on the Celtics. Two of those went to Sam Cassell, who now has two more technicals than minutes played this season. … The Celtics outscored the Magic, 12-0, in fastbreak points.
Easy victory for Celtics
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 9:54 p.m.
Celtics reclaim control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 9:25 p.m.
Magic back in it
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 8:38 p.m.
Cassell tossed
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 8:28 p.m.
Allen back
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 8:26 p.m.
Tony Allen to the locker room
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 8:18 p.m.
(Post edited at 8:30 p.m.)
Celtics lead after one
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 8:05 p.m.
I'm curious what the purpose J.J. Redick serves on the floor for the Magic. I joked before the game that the Celtics should re-sign Jackie Manuel to hover around Redick tonight just to mess with him a little bit, but that's not even necessary. He camps out in the corner on the offensive end to the point where you'd think the Celtics have honored him with a statue on the parquet, and he doesn't even attempt to make Allen do the least bit of defensive work. As a result, Allen has been extremely active and full of energy offensively, leading to his nine first-quarter points. Defensively, Redick can't hang with Allen's cuts through screens, and he's constantly looking to find his assignment. I understand the Magic are facing a rash of injuries, but Redick is Garbage with a capital G.
Doc recognized, Celtics and Magic set to tip off
Posted by Jeff Howe, Dec 1, 6:59 p.m.
It's almost fitting Rivers was given the honor on a day when he is coaching against the Magic, his former team. Rivers was named the NBA Coach of the Year with Orlando in 1999-2000, his first season as a coach, and he's the only person in the history of the league to win the award without taking that team to the playoffs. Rivers was later fired by the Magic, and he still makes his home in Orlando, where he was last week for Thanksgiving.
As for tonight's game, the Magic (13-4) will again be without starting point guard Jameer Nelson, who has a strained right hip flexor. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said Nelson looked good during his pregame workout and wanted Nelson to play tonight, but the trainers immediately nixed that idea. The Magic are also without Keith Bogans and Mickael Pietrus.
The Celtics (16-2) have won a season-high eight consecutive games, including four in a row at home. Their lone loss to an Eastern Conference team was at Indiana a month ago tonight. Orlando has the third-best record in the East and is riding a four-game winning streak, and the Magic went 13-2 in November. Fifth-year center Dwight Howard is the biggest force on the team and the best young center in the league, and he's averaging 21.8 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 11:30 p.m.
Celtics in a rhythm. The Celtics have won a season-high seven games in a row, and they've won their last six by an average of 15 points (that number would be significantly higher if the starters hadn't sat the entire fourth quarter in wins against Detroit and Philly). After struggling to get past a few teams earlier in the season -- Cleveland, Houston, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Toronto -- the C's are flying past teams and are in a rhythm that looks much like the one they had to start last season. Defensively, they were as sound as they've been on several occasions this season, but they're really starting to click on the offensive end. The scary thing is they haven't had all three superstars shine in the same game, and they've still got a lot of room to improve. You can credit the recent rhythm to their intense willingness to keep getting better. They could have hung their hats on their 8-1 start after a one-point win against the Hawks, knowing they're the champs and had laid claim to a handful of wins over playoff-caliber teams, margin of victory aside. But they were more frustrated with their own play than happy with their record. This team understands better than anyone -- except maybe the Patriots -- that great starts don't equate to anything when the playoffs come around. They worked hard to get better, and they're making things look easier as a result.
Half-court offenses don't hold up. Even if the Sixers aren't the running team they were last year, they still can run the court pretty effectively when they're given the opportunity. Those opportunities, though, are limited when their opponents have smart possessions and take care of the ball. By way of the Celtics doing just that tonight, they instantly took the 76ers out of their running attack, and Philly couldn't get it going in the half court. That's pretty much an automatic loss when you're playing the Celtics, who kill half-court offenses. The best example of that is last season's playoff series against the Hawks and later the Pistons. Atlanta stayed with Boston because it was an athletic group that created its own energy in the open court. Detroit, though, played in half-court sets and didn't stand a chance against Boston. Tonight, the Celtics forced 16 turnovers, blocked six shots and swarmed the Sixers on the perimeter, which ultimately forced a number of bad shots, wild passes that took them out of their sets and caused havoc all over the court. Thaddeus Young, whose 15.1 points per game are second on the team, was 2-for-9 from the floor and scored four points. He said the Celtics' pressure wreaked havoc on their offensive game plan.
Sugar Ray on fire. Ray Allen had been 5-for-7 from 3-point range in each of his last two games and went 3-for-5 from distance tonight. He scored 15 of his game-high 23 points in the third quarter, when he also hit all three of his 3-pointers. He hit three 3-pointers and scored all 11 of the Celtics' points during a stretch of 2:15 in the third when the C's extended their lead to 63-44 and effectively put the game to rest. While Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett can take over games in their own way -- Garnett scored eight of the final 10 points for the C's in the third quarter -- Allen is their home-run threat when he's hot from beyond the arc. Pierce said he knew Allen was on fire tonight, and the Celtics kept calling plays for their marksman to keep him going. There are dozens of great scorers around the league, but those who can get hot from 3-point range like Allen are the guys who are the biggest threats for one-man scoring runs.
Sam I Am. Doc Rivers has openly called Sam Cassell his player/coach, and until tonight Cassell was strictly fulfilling the coaching portion of that title. When Gabe Pruitt got sick and Rivers had to dress Cassell tonight, though, it looked like a good opportunity to put Cassell in the game, especially during the blowout when the starters didn't play in the fourth quarter (aside from Allen's 56 seconds). But Cassell remained on the bench -- contently, it appeared -- and that appears to be a sign that he's in Boston to work with the younger guys, and his playing opportunity will be only in the case of an injury. If reports were accurate that the Celtics were trying to lure Antonio McDyess this month (reports have since stated he's going back to Detroit), the Celtics would have had to get rid of someone since their roster is maxed out at 15 player. The two most obvious choices would be to release Patrick O'Bryant or give Cassell strictly a coaching job. (Unless Cassell really wants to play somewhere, in which case they'd release him. But let's be serious, if he really wanted to play significant minutes somewhere, he wouldn't be in Boston right now.) However, Cassell's coaching job looks like it's already in full swing.
C-Notes. Nothing here tonight, but check out my theory below about the scenario that could bring LeBron James to Boston in two years.
C's destroy Philly
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 9:50 p.m.
Blowout in Boston
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 9:17 p.m.
Celtics locking down
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 8:36 p.m.
LeBron to Boston?
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 8:20 p.m.
There are three numbers that are very important when it comes to these talks. First of all, the NBA tries very hard to keep players with a team for as long as possible, so the Cavs have the upper hand when it comes to contract offers. In that case, they don't have to worry about the salary cap because LeBron will have spent his five years in Cleveland (the luxury tax is another thing, but that's all on the ownership), so the Cavs will be able to offer him six years and about $133 million. The league's other 29 teams are looking at a max of five years and a figure of about $102 million, and they have to keep the salary cap in mind. That's the third number. The cap in 2006-07 was $53.135 million. It was $55.63 million in 2007-08, and it's $58.68 million this season. The new cap number for each season comes out every July, so I'll forecast the 2010-11 cap to be about $64.6 million.
The Celtics have three players under contract for 2010-11 -- Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins -- who have a combined number of about $44.6 million. If the Celtics retain Rajon Rondo, who will be a restricted free agent after the 2009-10 season, for his minimum qualifying offer of about $3.8 million, that'll bring them up to $48.4 million. That, in turn, will give the Celtics $16.2 million in cap space. Since other teams can offer him an average salary of about $20 million, the Celtics are at a bit of a disadvantage in that department, but they can escalate his salary throughout the remainder of the contract and include other perks to bring his number up a bit. Now, you're wondering who will come off the bench if the C's hit the cap. Remember they only had eight players on the roster after trading for Garnett, and Danny Ainge got creative with the mid-level exception, which should be about $6.5-7 million in 2010-11.
With all that said, if it's about guaranteed money in LeBron's NBA contract, there isn't a team in the league that can compete with Cleveland. Therefore, if he's willing to sacrifice money to go elsewhere, a few million dollars won't be the ultimate factor between other teams an the Celtics.
If he's concerned with winning a championship, there likely won't be a better sell than a chance to play with Garnett, Pierce and Rondo. If it's about his legacy, the Celtics obviously offer him a chance to create one with the most storied franchise in the game. Plus, he'd be 30 years old -- it's scary how young he really is -- when that five-year contract expires in 2015. He could re-up with the Celtics for an exorbitant amount of money by then, and it already would have been his team for about two or three years. He saw first-hand what kind of treatment Pierce and Garnett received when the Celtics got their rings and raised the banner before beating the Cavs on opening night last month. Legendary figures never die in Boston.
Finally, there are the other, more highly discussed factors in New York, such as marketing opportunities, a bigger spotlight, a unique celebrity status, "his" Yankees and Jay-Z (a part owner of the Nets). If LeBron is more concerned with his off-the-court lifestyle, the Celtics don't have a chance. If he's serious about being the next Michael Jordan (things didn't turn out so bad in that Chicago market), the Celtics could be serious players.
Black Friday at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 28, 6:53 p.m.
The 76ers are really underachieving through the early portion of the schedule, but that can be chalked up to the adjustment period they're facing with newly-signed forward Elton Brand, who inked an $80 million, five-year contract over the summer. That event alone stirred a number of dramatic storylines. It was thought that Brand had convinced Baron Davis to leave the Warriors and sign with the Clippers so the two could play together and perhaps give their Staples Center cohabitants some competition. Well, that obviously didn't happen, Davis is alone in L.A., and the Clippers are back to playing their traditional embarrassing brand of basketball.
On the Philly side, it looked like the 76ers were going to make a hard attempt to sign Josh Smith away from Atlanta. Smith's high-flying style would have been a perfect fit for the 76ers' system, and they likely would have been the most exciting team to watch in the league. Then, the restricted free agent Smith signed an offer sheet with the Grizzlies, the Hawks matched it and he stayed in Atlanta. All of this was going down while Philly's interest heightened with Brand, and that was that.
While I maintain Smith would have been a better fit with Philly, there's still not a bad thing to really say about Brand. He's got a similar offensive arsenal as Kevin Garnett with a great low-post presence and good mid-range jumper, but his defense and tenacity are clearly second rate to KG. Philly also doesn't run the court as well as it did last year, though the 76ers will still fly from end to end of Andre Miller, Andre Iguodala or Thaddeus Young pull down a rebound. With that, it's extremely important the Celtics don't take quick shots or low-percentage shots that could allow the 76ers to get out on the break. Iguodala and Young are superior offensive threats while running the court, and if you make them play a halfcourt game, their talents and athleticism are restricted. Still, the Sixers are very good with their ball movement in both instances, and that's how they'll generate the majority of their offense.
The last matchup to watch is in the paint between Kendrick Perkins and Samuel Dalembert, who isn't an offensive threat but can really clog the middle of the court. Dalembert was a force against the Celtics last season, so the slimmer, more improved Perkins will have another good test on his hands.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 10:34 p.m.
Rondo's an All-Star. At least in Paul Pierce's mind, Rajon Rondo deserves a spot on the court in Phoenix in February, and it's hard to dispute that. Pierce said Rondo "changed the game" in the third quarter, when he had 16 points and six rebounds. Rondo finished the night with a season-high 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He was instrumental defensively and on the fast break in the third quarter, and Pierce said of Rondo, "When he's on like he was tonight, we're unbeatable." Rondo also tied up Ronny Turiaf, who has nine inches and 72 pounds on the Celtics' point guard, to force a jump ball, among a number of hustle plays. Kevin Garnett said, "Rajon's heart is bigger than Africa."
Second chances are key. There was a point late in the fourth quarter when the Celtics had a 20-0 lead in second-chance points in the second half. The Celtics went through stretches when they struggled to knock down good shots, but they swarmed the rim for easy put-backs that really got them back into the game and then put them over the top in the fourth quarter. I thought the biggest play of the game happened with 6:43 remaining in the fourth. Garnett missed a jumper in the paint, but Tony Allen grabbed the rebound and quickly scored with one second remaining on the shot clock. He was fouled, completed the three-point play and put the Celtics ahead, 103-102.
C's go small. The Warriors are an exceptional jump-shooting team that has very little size and loves to run the floor. Doc Rivers shook things up in the fourth quarter, using Tony Allen in place of Kendrick Perkins, and that move offset the Warriors' biggest advantage. Allen was very active on defense, helping limit Corey Maggette and Jamal Crawford in one-on-one matchups -- which the Warriors go to way too often when possessions are most valuable -- and Golden State couldn't spread the floor as well. This might be a package Rivers uses more often against quicker, more athletic teams.
C-Notes. Going along with the theme of second-chance points, the Celtics outscored the Warriors, 66-38, in the paint -- and 40-12 in the second half. ... After Tony Allen, who scored nine points, hit a contested, leaning lay-up to give the Celtics a 117-108 lead, Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck stood up out of his seat and began bowing. ... The C's held the Warriors to 44 second-half points after surrendering 67 points in the first. That was the most points any Celtics opponent has scored against them in any half this season.
Easy as that
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 10:01 p.m.
Celtics back on top
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 9:26 p.m.
Early holiday for Celtics
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 8:45 p.m.
Celtics flying after one
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 8:09 p.m.
Paul Pierce passed JoJo White for seventh place in Celtics history for field goals attempted. Pierce entered the game needed four to reach White's total of 12,782, and he took six shots in the quarter.
There was a moment of silence before the game in remembrance of Helen Heinsohn, who died Monday morning. She was the wife of Celtics Hall of Famer and television analyst Tommy Heinsohn. Helen was a fixture at Celtics games, always walking in the arm of Tommy. Tommy is in the building but is not working the game tonight or Friday.
Turkey Eve at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 26, 7:14 p.m.
Walker to D-League
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 21, 2:19 p.m.
Utah plays its lone preseason game tomorrow in Idaho before opening the regular season next Friday.
Going back to 'Sota
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 11:43 p.m.
"It should be cool," he said. "It's always good to go back and see my own personal friends in Minneapolis. It's always good to see the fans and people. They've always been good to me. Other than that, it's just another game, to be honest. I was locked into tonight, and I'll be locked in tomorrow. It should be fun."
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 11:22 p.m.
Iverson got Rondo'd. Even if Rajon Rondo doesn't want to admit it, he looks like he matches up a whole lot better with Allen Iverson than Chauncey Billups. Rondo had 18 points, eight assists and three steals tonight, while Iverson had 16 points, four assists and two steals. Iverson's most dangerous asset is his speed, but the younger Rondo can match him stride for stride and his defense hardly slips. I doubt the Celtics were going into this game thinking Rondo had to match Iverson's point production, but they clearly wanted him to keep Iverson from going off for 30. The fact that Rondo out-played the potential Hall of Famer was instrumental in the Celtics' blowout.
Best performance of the season. The Celtics only had to play three quarters tonight, so it's hard to call this their most complete game of the season, but this was definitely their most dominant performance. They chased Detroit out of the gym, and there wasn't one guy responsible for it, either. Five players scored in double figures, including Rondo's game high of 18. Two others came off the bench, as Tony Allen's biggest stretch came in the second quarter when he scored five of his 13 points. Eddie House got the stroke back, knocking down 3-of-4 3-pointers, including consecutive 3s in the second quarter that sparked the 9-0 run for the Celtics that first caused separation between the teams. Kendrick Perkins was the force on the glass with a game-high 10 boards while Kevin Garnett pulled down just four. Leon Powe had seven rebounds in just 17:57 of play to match Tayshaun Prince's team high. Across the board, each member of the Celtics showed up and played tonight.
These aren't the real Pistons. Detroit coach Michael Curry said after the game the Pistons have regressed defensively over the last two weeks, which about equals Iverson's tenure in Motown. As I wrote earlier, these weren't the Pistons who have been such a dominant force in the postseason for the better part of the last decade. They aren't physical or intimidating, and no one sent a message with a hard foul like we've grown accustomed to seeing out of the "bad boys" from Detroit. Ray Allen seemed sure before the game the Celtics would have to get through the Pistons once the playoffs come around, and that could very well be the case. Obviously, they're going to get better, too. But, better how? If they improve offensively -- which they will with Iverson -- they're going to change their identity. This team owned the Eastern Conference with defense. Right now, Boston and Cleveland are far superior on that end than Detroit.
C-Notes. The Celtics had an 18-2 edge in fast-break points after three quarters. ... None of the Celtics' starters played in the fourth quarter, which will help a bit since the team won't be getting into Minnesota until about 4 a.m. EST. ... Tony Allen wasn't his vintage self, but he started to get a little creative during a fast-break dunk in the second quarter, a good sign for a guy who is admittedly still shy on the break after his knee injury.
Garden blowout
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 10:45 p.m.
All Celtics
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 10:13 p.m.
Keep in mind
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 9:44 p.m.
TA leads the way
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 9:24 p.m.
Tony Allen's best game of the season came in the Celtics' win at Detroit on Nov. 9, and he's providing an ample encore tonight. Allen has nine points, three steals, two blocks, one rebound and one assist at the break, and his defense on Rip Hamilton has been phenomenal.
Back and forth in the first
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 8:46 p.m.
C-Notes. There is a pretty good contingent of Pistons fans here tonight. Doc Rivers and the Celtics might believe referee Violet Palmer is one of them. ... Rodney Stuckey looks like 50 Cent.
Playoff rematch
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 20, 7:26 p.m.
Allen Iverson is also making his Pistons debut in Boston after he was traded from Denver earlier this month. Since dropping their first two games with Iverson in the lineup, including an 88-76 home loss to the Celtics on Nov. 9, the Pistons have gone 4-1 and are coming off a seven-point win against Cleveland last night.
The biggest effect Iverson has on the lineup is the pace of the game. While Chauncey Billups ran more of a halfcourt offense, Iverson prefers to fly up and down the court, and that's opening up more space for Rasheed Wallace. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he spent the entire Nov. 9 game yelling at his team to get back on defense, which he said he never had to do in prior matchups with the Pistons.
"He's a freak of nature, really, when you think about the way he still plays and his size," Rivers said. "It's amazing how long he's gone and done it. I remember his rookie year, people saying there's no way he'll be able to play this fast all year. Now, it's whatever years later, and we're still talking about it. He really is an amazing guy. And from his own admission, I don't think he practices a lot, so I don't know where he gets the endurance. It's an amazing thing."
There wasn't much activity in the Celtics' locker room, but Ray Allen spent a few minutes talking with us about free-throw shooting. He said he really starting concentrating on becoming a good free-throw shooter during his days at UConn. Jim Calhoun broke the team up before each practice and had free-throw competitions, and the losers were forced to run while the winners watched. Allen also said he didn't become the free-throw shooter he is today -- he's tied for fourth in the league at 94.44 percent, and the league leader among players who attempt at least three free throws per game -- until his rookie year in Milwaukee.
One thing to keep an eye on tonight is Allen's arms. He began wearing white sleeves in the middle of last season's playoff series with the Pistons because he was being clawed all over the court by Rip Hamilton.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 10:50 p.m.
Celtics can pick each other up. The C's weren't caught cold without Kevin Garnett tonight, as they went 7-2 during a nine-game stretch when Garnett was injured last season. It also helped that the Knicks aren't overly impressive with their inside game. Either way, this team doesn't end after Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Kendrick Perkins came up with his most important offensive performance of the season, scoring 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. He also pulled down eight rebounds, four on the offensive end, and had three assists and three blocks. Brian Scalabrine started for Garnett and knocked the back-breaking 3-pointer with 1:14 to play. And Leon Powe was impressive in the first half, when he scored all 14 of his points. While Pierce (5-of-13) and Allen (5-of-14) didn't have their best shooting nights, they scored 22 and 15 points, respectively. The final member of the starting five, Rajon Rondo, punished the defense by consistently finding his way into the paint and had the line of the night with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
C's in trouble when the ball sticks. The Celtics went through a stretch early in the fourth quarter in which 11 of their 12 field-goal attempts were jump shots, and they were 1-of-12 as a result. The offense completely fell apart, and they struggled to stay with the Knicks defensively, too. It's happened throughout this season and last, and it's often never good for the Celtics when the ball doesn't move or find its way to the paint because seemingly 99 percent of the time it affects the Celtics on the defensive end. By the time the Celtics started moving the ball again, though, it took them a couple possessions to get into a rhythm, and the Knicks had cut what was once a 15-point margin down to 103-99.
The Knicks seem to be more about talking than winning. This isn't a revelation or anything, as I'm sure you can remember the teams' meeting last year at Madison Square Garden. Zach Randolph has made a career out of putting up numbers (18 points, eight rebounds tonight), but his style of play (read: no defense, and missing 3-pointers by three feet) isn't conducive to winning. He also got T'd up for getting into it with Leon Powe and later barked at Kendrick Perkins after knocking him to the floor from behind on a lay-up attempt. Anyway, the biggest reason for this point was for me to be able to post Quentin Richardson's postgame comment:
"I think a few of those guys know they can't just say anything to us. I'm just real curious to see what those guys will be saying if we weren't in a basketball league and didn't have referees. I mean, it wouldn't be the same story. They are the world champions and rah-rah-rah, but the tough part I don't factor. I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but until you do something, it don't mean nothing. Some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you haven't been in the league long enough to talk to people like that. I don't have a lot of respect for that. Like I said, I'd be curious to hear what they have to say in a different setting. I'd be very curious to see that.
C-Notes. Brian Scalabrine didn't sugarcoat it. He was really excited to get the start tonight in place of Kevin Garnett, even admitting he didn't sleep very well this afternoon after the shoot-around. Scalabrine, who scored eight points and had three rebounds, also cleared up his comments about the fans chanting his name the other day. When asked why he didn't like it, Scalabrine said he did enjoy the crowd's affection, but he didn't want it to be about him; he wanted it to be about the team. ... The Celtics outscored the Knicks, 50-34, in the paint.
Celtics hang on
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 10:03 p.m.
Celtics in control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 9:22 p.m.
Celtics lead at the break
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 8:39 p.m.
Knicks take early lead
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 8:07 p.m.
KG's suspension is 'ridiculous'
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 7:15 p.m.
Predictably, the Celtics weren't big fans of the sentence.
"I was just surprised," Doc Rivers said. "I thought it was a ridiculous suspension. I really did. Anybody who's been around the game long enough knows -- whether you played it or not, it doesn't even matter -- if you've got your head turned sideways and someone strikes you, not once but twice, your reaction is almost a reflex. I can see if it's somebody coming right in your face, but from the side, your reflex is to flail, and I guess that constitutes a punch [to the league]. Clearly, he's not a good fighter if that's a punch, but it is what it is. There's nothing you can do about it, but we have to play tonight so we have to move forward."
Bogut was not suspended for the incident, but his foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1. League rules do not allow players to appeal suspensions, but they can appeal fines.
Rivers went on to compare the Garnett situation to what happened with Shaquille O'Neal over the weekend. O'Neal clotheslined Rodney Stuckey mid-air in the second quarter. O'Neal was given a Flagrant 2, which comes with an immediate ejection, and he was fined $25,000 for his reaction to the officials and not leaving the court in a timely fashion. Rivers said Garnett was fined $200,000.
"I just wish there was more consistency from our league," Rivers said. "I think they have to look at things differently. I just looked at the Shaq thing, and I hate to call out Shaq, but that was a hard foul where a guy was suspended in the air and comes down on his face. [O'Neal] gets [$25,000], and Kevin gets 200 grand and misses a game. To me, those two things don't go together, so we have to pay the price."
Leon Powe is expected to see increased playing time in Garnett's absence.
"I wouldn't have suspended him for that," Powe said. "But it's the league, and it's their own rules. Whatever they decide, we've got to roll with. Now we've got to go out there without KG."
Powe said incidents like this occur every night.
"I'm surprised I haven't been suspended then."
Start spreading the news
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 18, 6:48 p.m.
I'll be back in a few minutes with the reaction to Kevin Garnett's one-game suspension, which wasn't very favorable in the Celtics' locker room, as you might expect. I do want to clear up one thing from my post yesterday. I said Garnett would run the risk of missing Thursday's game against the Pistons if he appealed the suspension. However, according to Celtics PR director Jeff Twiss, players can not appeal suspensions once they are handed down from the league. They can appeal fines, though.
Garnett suspended
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 17, 6:18 p.m.
The two were tangled under the basket during the teams' meeting Saturday night in Milwaukee, which the Celtics won in overtime, 102-97. Garnett appeared to be trying to slap the ball away from Bogut, but his hand hit Bogut in the cheek. When Bogut finished trying to shoot the ball, his right arm came down and hit Garnett on the face, which seemed much more malicious -- and definitely more intentional -- than Garnett's motion. With that said, I'm pretty surprised Garnett wound up being the only one suspended for the dust-up because they were equally guilty.
Garnett will miss tomorrow night's game against the Knicks at the Garden. If he appeals, he could run the risk of missing the Celtics' game against the Pistons on Thursday at the Garden.
Giddens to Development League
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 15, 1:31 p.m.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 15, 12:31 a.m.
Ray of light. Nuggets coach George Karl hoped aloud before the game that Ray Allen wouldn’t snap out of his shooting slump and burn his team — again. Well, Allen burned all right, and it certainly wasn’t by accident. Allen showed up to the Celtics’ practice facility in Waltham yesterday three hours early to work on his shot, and it paid off right away. He scored 18 of his 26 points and hit three of his five 3-pointers in the first quarter to help the Celtics get off to an early lead. While Allen had been scoring just fine in the past few games, his shot was off from beyond the arc. He had been 2-of-16 (12.5 percent) from 3-point range the last two games and 5-of-25 (20 percent) over the last four contests. No one in the Celtics’ locker room will every worry about an Allen slump — Allen included — but any early-season struggles looked like a distant memory tonight.
Getting defensive. I ripped the Nuggets’ defense before the game, and I’ll defend every word I said. It was more of a coincidence than anything, but I had seen a handful of their games on television this season and had enough of a sample size to make those claims. With that said, Denver ’s defense was spectacular tonight. They play a different brand of defense than the Celtics, locking down the perimeter and trapping high to avoid their opposition take advantage of their deficiencies in the paint. In past games, the Nuggets’ perimeter defense looked more like a welcoming party than a mode of security. Chauncey Billups obviously deserves a lot of credit for that, and Kevin Garnett said after the game Billups always seemed to know what the Celtics were trying to do. “They did their homework,” Garnett added. There’s no telling whether or not the Nuggets will continue playing this type of defense in the Western Conference, which only has about three teams that play legitimate D, but they found out tonight what a solid defensive effort will do for their fortunes.
On the Celtics’ side, they just didn’t have it in lockdown mode tonight. Garnett said they were a step slow all game. I actually thought they played fairly well, but they couldn’t make the clutch stops down the stretch that aided their title run last season. Consider this: Eddie House made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to give the Celtics a 70-67 lead, but the Nuggets followed with an 11-0 run. The Celtics finally made a run of their own to tie the score at 82, but Kenyon Martin scored on the Nuggets’ ensuing possession. After the C’s tied it at 84, Martin scored again. And when the Celtics turned it over on their next possession — due to great perimeter defense from Denver — Billups converted a three-point play that all but sealed the game. In one of the most unlikely events in NBA history, the Nuggets played better defense when the game was on the line than the Celtics.
Dietary performance. The Celtics haven’t put together a full game yet this season. Until tonight, they were plagued by poor starts. In the loss to the Nuggets, though, they surrendered runs of 19-2, 9-0, 11-0 and 10-0, the last two coming in the fourth quarter. The C’s played catch-up three times, but a fourth was way too much to ask, especially on the heels of two 16-point comebacks in their last two games. “It’s going to catch up to you at some point,” Rivers said of constantly fighting from behind. “It just has to.” Paul Pierce added, “We can’t play in spurts when teams are coming at us for 48 minutes.” If it’s any consolation, Rivers said the Celtics didn’t play their first full game last season until Game 6 of the Finals. In that case, the C’s have some time to grow. Still, their offense has to flow better, regardless of how they’re playing defensively. They’ll be the first ones to say their offense comes from their defense, but they’ve been playing some damn solid defense this season and the offense hasn’t always followed. It’s a good sign for this team to be 8-2, coming off a championship and still feeling unsatisfied with their performance through the first month of the season. “We’re the most miserable 8-2 team you’ve ever seen,” Rivers said.
C-Notes. Jason Varitek was at the Garden for the game, which
can only be a good sign for the Red Sox on the first day of the free agency
period. … After scoring 22 and 11 points in the last two fourth quarters,
respectively, Paul Pierce didn’t score at all in the fourth tonight, going
0-for-2 from the floor with a pair of turnovers. (I will say — even if I sound
like a broken record — I love the way he’s crashing the boards this season, and
he had seven rebounds tonight.) … The Celtics were outscored, 42-20, in the
paint tonight. … Six Nuggets, including four starters, scored in double
figures.
Shocker at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 14, 10:32 p.m.
Anything you can do...
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 14, 9:53 p.m.
Celtics go cold
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 14, 9:05 p.m.
Allen pacing Celtics
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 14, 8:31 p.m.
Here at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 14, 7:19 p.m.
The Nuggets just announced 7-footer Steven Hunter underwent arthroscopic surgery today on an injury that is being called a "right inflammation." Whatever that means, it's going to cause Hunter to miss a "minimum of 12 weeks." I also overheard Chris "Birdman" Anderson is suffering from a chest injury, and it doesn't sound like he'll be playing tonight, either.
The big news tonight is Chauncey Billups' Denver debut at the Garden -- he was traded to the Nuggets last week for Allen Iverson. Carmelo Anthony still sounds excited about the trade, as much as he hated seeing Iverson leave town, and believes it will make the Nuggets a better team in the long run. Doc Rivers later said he wasn't surprised by the trade -- "because nothing in this league surprises me," he added -- but he was surprised he never heard anything leading up to the trade. Rivers said it's typical for everyone around the league to be aware of moves this large, but this one seemed to come from out of nowhere.
As for tonight, the Nuggets don't figure to be much of a match for the Celtics. Last season's 119-93 Celtics rout at the Garden aside, Denver is playing on the second leg of a back-to-back (the Nuggets lost, 110-99, in Cleveland last night) and will have a serious task at hand tonight. I've gotten a chance to see Denver play quite a bit this season, and the team still doesn't play any defense, particularly at the end of close games. They traded former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby in an offseason salary dump, and the inside presence for Denver is simply empty. The most maddening thing about Denver is its unwillingness to play any defense with the game on the line. Trailing by a few points late in the game last week against the Warriors, the Nuggets continuously let Golden State penetrate the paint and score on easy lay-ups. You've got to think a team that's trying to change its defensive identity (read: just showing up on the defensive end of the court would be an improvement) would at least buckle down late. Not so, though. The Celtics should easily exploit the Nuggets' softness inside on their way to a seventh consecutive victory.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 13, 12:18 a.m.
C is for 'Cool.' Tonight was the first time this season the majority of the close calls have gone against the Celtics, but they did a solid job of bottling their emotions and staying in stride. Last season, it wasn't uncommon in similar circumstances to see the Celtics let their emotions run wild, which would cause swings in momentum. That never happened tonight, which is a sign of how much more mature this team is this season. It's not just in those situations, either. Paul Pierce and company look very calm, cool and collected through adversity. They just don't look fazed, and that helped them against a younger, fearless Hawks team. The Celtics are the defending champs, and through nine games, they're acting like it.
Hawks are for real. Their defense is a mirror image of the Celtics' D. Their primary objective is keeping guys out of the paint, rotating around the perimeter and helping on the weak side. Al Horford, Marvin Williams (Josh Smith when he returns from his sprained ankle) and the rest of the bigs are athletic enough for that strategy to remain effective over the course of the season. It's tougher for young teams to buy into defensive systems because the players are still on their first or second contracts, and they haven't made their big money yet. Thus, they tend to slide their efforts to the offensive end, where the money is made. (James Posey's $25 million is certainly nice, but anyone who has seen him play for the Heat and Celtics knows how valuable his defense and leadership can be. He's incredibly underpaid) Plus, the experience the young core of the team gained in the playoffs last season. They had a swagger tonight that was unquestionably absent last April. And finally, Mike Bibby will be around for a full season. He was traded so late last season that he was basically learning on the fly, and he had very few chances to learn the team's plays in practice. Veteran leadership at the point is invaluable for teams with lofty playoff aspirations.
C-Notes. Paul Pierce dropped 23 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter. He's averaging 16.5 points in the last two fourth quarters. ... Pierce's game-winning shot was over Al Horford, who is three inches taller than Pierce. ... There were 21 lead changes and 18 ties in tonight's game. Twenty of those lead changes and 14 of the ties happened in the second half.
Pierce does it again
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 12, 10:24 p.m.
Setting up for a great finish
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 12, 9:36 p.m.
Right where they wanted them
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 12, 8:48 p.m.
Fast start at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 12, 8:09 p.m.
Remember these guys?
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 12, 6:48 p.m.
One injury note: Hawks forward Josh Smith is out with a sprained ankle.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 11:59 p.m.
The Truth about hardware. I’ve written it already this season, but once again, I do believe Paul Pierce can find himself in the thick of the MVP race next spring. Of course, it won’t help his cause playing alongside Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, but the league is paying closer attention to Boston this year for obvious reasons. That, in turn, will help Pierce, especially following his MVP performance in the Finals. He was tremendous in the season opener against the Cavs, but tonight was his breakout performance of 2008-09, dropping 22 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter. (Conversely, the Raptors scored 22 points as a team in the fourth.) As was the case against the Bucks last Friday, Pierce became a factor in the paint when the bigs had rebounding troubles. Tonight, the Raptors had eight offensive rebounds and 11 second-chance points, which thwarted the C’s early comeback attempts. Pierce, who finished 14th in the MVP balloting last season, came up large with nine rebounds, including six in the second half, when the Raptors only managed two offensive boards and three second-chance points. Everyone knows Pierce can score at will, but his game is much deeper than that. It’s only a matter of time before the national media figures this out.
It’s going to be tough to beat the Celtics at the Garden. The Raptors are a pretty good team, and they’ll find themselves – along with Philadelphia and Orlando – vying for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs when it’s all said and done. They played about as well as any team has against the Celtics this season, but they still couldn’t put it all together in the second half to steal a victory. As poorly as the Celtics played for two and a half quarters, they showed they are still head and shoulders better than every opponent when they have it all clicking (remember Game 6 of the Finals?). Even though that was only the case for about 16 minutes tonight, they locked down on defense, got a blistering performance from Pierce on the offensive end and closed out the game on a 52-30 run.
Baby in focus. Rather than traveling the world and kicking back on the heels of a world championship, Glen Davis stayed in Waltham all summer to work out and improve his game. The results, so far, have been overwhelmingly positive, especially defensively. Davis has trimmed down a bit, looks quicker to the ball and still has the same amount of strength to control the paint. Despite his short frame – he’s listed at 6-foot-9 – he can more than hold his own against bigger guys, and that was true tonight with Jermaine O’Neal and Chris Bosh. When Perkins came out of the game twice in the first half, Davis was assigned to O’Neal, who’s every bit of two inches taller than Davis , and did an admirable job considering how hot O’Neal was out of the gate. Davis ’ primary focus has to be positioning because he can’t allow bigger players to get over him in the paint. He’s a lot stronger than most people think, particularly in his lower body, and his opponents have a difficult time planting themselves in prime position on the block.
Slow starts don’t help. Doc Rivers held a pregame meeting to address his team’s slow starts, which have developed into the most alarming trend since the Celtics couldn’t win on the road last postseason. Obviously, it won’t last all season, but it’s something that is creeping into each player’s mind, whether they want to admit it or not. Once again, they came out flat tonight. “Yeah, that went well,” Rivers said about his speech. “I meant in the second half.” The C’s fell down 16-7 in the first quarter and shot 5-of-16 from the floor. For the second straight time at home, an opposing player (O’Neal tonight, Richard Jefferson last Friday) got off to a hot start. Teams will be getting off to strong starts against the Celtics this season because they’re so amped up to play against the world champs, but it’s a trend the C’s need to squash sooner than later.
C-Notes. Pierce has been playing with a sprained right hand for the last week, and he had it wrapped after the game tonight. … Kendrick Perkins was getting killed in the paint by Jermaine O’Neal all night, but he came back with a great stop late in the fourth quarter. It was a huge step forward for Perkins, who hasn’t always been able to recoup when things aren’t going his way.
The Truth answers
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 10:04 p.m.
It's getting tight at the Garden
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 9:25 p.m.
Celtics struggling badly
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 8:42 p.m.
Raptors strike first
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 8:06 p.m.
Busy night
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 7:26 p.m.
After scoring a season-high 23 points last night against the Pistons, Tony Allen drew a large crowd around his locker about an hour ago. Allen said his knee still isn't back at full strength, but he is happy to be where he is -- about 82 percent, according to Allen's scientific formula. He said he was at a real low point last year at this time because he was at practice and watching his teammates basically run in circles around him. Allen also noted his breakaway attempt Friday night against the Bucks when he wanted to throw down a tomahawk dunk but decided against risking it and just laid the ball in. Either way, Allen's impact has far away exceeded what anyone could have expected after his struggles last season.
Rajon Rondo had his right elbow wrapped before the game as a precautionary measure after hitting hit last night in Detroit. He said it's not an injury, and we shouldn't worry because "it won't affect my shooting percentage or my free-throw percentage." His sense of humor is clearly still at 100 percent.
Raptors coach Sam Mitchell was asked by a reporter if he was surprised Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen "haven't let up" this season after winning the title last season. Let's just say Bill Belichick would have been proud of the way Mitchell handled the situation.
Welcome to the Jungle
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 10, 7:15 p.m.
I really like the timing of this matchup because, in my opinion, Kendrick Perkins is playing the best basketball of his career right now. He and Kevin Garnett will have their hands full in the paint against O'Neal and Chris Bosh (26.7 points per game, 11.0 rebounds per game). O'Neal's numbers haven't been too impressive (fourth on the team with 10.5 points per game, second with 6.3 rebounds), but he's taking a lot of attention away from Bosh, who is playing as well as anyone in the league right now.
I'll be back in a few minutes to set the pregame scene, which was a bit busier than normal and a result of me starting a little later than usual.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 10:39 p.m.
Analysis from tonight's Celtics victory against the Bucks:
On point. Rajon Rondo’s killer instinct is what separates him from a number of other point guards in the league, and that was far and away the case tonight when he was up against Luke Ridnour. Rondo (eight points, eight assists, three steals, two rebounds, one block) was his typical self, flying all around the court on both ends of the court and making plays with and without the ball. Ridnour, on the other hand, seems content with holding the ball at the top of the arc and waiting for a play to develop, rather than developing something himself. Neither team played its best game tonight, but when they did struggle, Rondo was often able to create a play when Ridnour was not. (Bonus points go to Eddie House — 11 points, three steals, two rebounds, one assist — who kept the pressure on Milwaukee when he was in the game for Rondo.)
Powe the closer. It’s been a regular occurrence to turn on SportsCenter and see Leon Powe throwing down a huge dunk on a lesser man. In case you haven’t noticed, almost every single one of those plays happens in the fourth quarter, and that was true again tonight. Powe scored 10 points tonight, including seven in the first four minutes of the final quarter. His personal run catapulted the Celtics, who turned a five-point game entering the fourth into a blowout. He’s got such a ridiculous amount of energy that I liken him to a bruising running back. When defenses are tired as the game wears on, Powe continues to punish the opposition over and again.
The Truth. Paul Pierce didn’t have his best shooting night (6-of-16) but still managed to score 18 points. That’s not the story, though. He was most effective in other areas, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out seven assists. His rebounding was key, as the Celtics had some trouble in that area through some stretches tonight. After his performance during last year’s playoff run, Pierce will garner a little more attention next spring when people are voting for end-of-season awards. It’s only natural they’ll see how impressive Pierce is off the ball.
C-Notes. Rookie Billy Walker got the first game action of his career in the fourth quarter. … Kendrick Perkins has been tremendous defensively over the last week and had six points, eight rebounds, seven blocks and one steal tonight. He can be emotional to a fault, which takes him out of some plays, but he’s going to be a top-five defensive center by the end of the season, if not better. … The Celtics outscored the Bucks, 60-36, in the paint and had a 24-10 advantage in fast-break points.
Celtics win
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 9:56 p.m.
Celtics hanging on
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 9:20 p.m.
Rondo appears to be OK
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 9:00 p.m.
The Bucks stop here
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 8:01 p.m.
The C's were at their best on the defensive end, and they're getting great contributions from Eddie House (three steals, two rebounds) and Kendrick Perkins (five rebounds, four blocks, one steal) on that side of the court. The Bucks took a 42-38 advantage with 5:50 remaining in the half but only hit one more field goal the rest of the way.
Jefferson Airplane
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 8:01 p.m.
Buck hunting
Posted by Jeff Howe, Nov. 7, 6:50 p.m.
Rajon Rondo spoke to reporters for a few minutes and addressed his struggles from the free-throw line, which have him at a loss for words. Rondo is shooting 46.2 percent from the stripe, and he said he's definitely frustrated because he's spent so much time trying to improve his free-throw shooting. He said he shot free throws every day over the summer until he made 100, which he estimated took between 110-112 attempts. Rondo didn't just line up and shoot them consecutively, though, as he worked on a specific drill or did some running before getting himself back to the line to better simulate game conditions. Rondo also said Sam Cassell told him to work on his breathing before stepping to the line, especially after he gets knocked to the floor. Cassell recommended that Rondo tie his sneakers before walking up to the line to give him ample time to collect himself. Tonight will be the first time Rondo works on that.
Doc Rivers said the team will be challenged to find enough practice time over the next month. Their last practice was in Houston -- a good one, according to Rivers -- and they'll go through a very light practice tomorrow morning before leaving for Detroit. He said he doesn't think they'll have another good practice until about a month from now due to the game schedule. Beginning tonight, the Celtics have six games in an eight-day stretch.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 11:11 p.m.
Defense regains swagger. After allowing just 35 points in the second half against the Cavs on Tuesday, the Celtics’ defense was again on par tonight with last year’s unit. Like I wrote in an earlier post, they played like they wanted to record a shutout, a rarity to say the least at any level of basketball. They surrendered 31 points in the first half, and didn’t let the Bulls sniff the paint, especially when Kevin Garnett was on the court. This was especially important against the Bulls, who have slashers in Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon.
Powe strong out of the gate. Leon Powe was a force off the bench for the second straight game, registering 13 points and six rebounds while serving as an imposing presence in the paint. He had 11 points and two boards against the Cavs. Powe is also looking to be more of a force on the offensive end. He takes the ball to the rim with Garnett-like authority after collecting an offensive rebound or loose ball, but his back-to-the-basket skills are definitely improving, too, as you could see with his hook shot off the glass.
Contract day: The Celtics awarded Rajon Rondo today by picking up his team option for next season, and he rewarded them by outplaying the combination of Derrick Rose and Kirk Hinrich. Most significant was his play defensively, flustering the Bulls’ two point guards (Rose especially at times) with a ton of pressure in the half court. Offensively, Rondo breezed by both (Hinrich mostly) and was able to attack the paint at will. With all of the hype surrounding Rose, which he absolutely deserves, it’s got to be a huge confidence booster for the Celtics to see their guy dismantle June’s No. 1 pick.
Good start: Aside from Tuesday’s first half, the Celtics have established themselves through their first two home games as a team that can repeat. They took down the Cavs in a playoff-like game and potential Eastern Conference final preview, and completely outplayed the Bulls, who should be in the playoff hunt at season’s end. Personally, if Vinny Del Negro can get his team moving the ball more on offense, I think Rose is good enough to lead the Bulls into the postseason. Anyway, the Celtics hit the road for the first time this season when they visit the Pacers tomorrow night. It’ll be a good test because it’s the Celtics’ first back-to-back this season -- although Paul Pierce (35 minutes) and Rondo (30) were the only players who were on the court for 30 minutes tonight – but a very winnable game against the young Pacers. The C’s head out to Houston, a team looking to make a statement early this season, especially since the Celtics ended their 22-game winning streak last year, and conclude the three-game trip Wednesday in Oklahoma City .
C-Note. The Celtics 30-of-39 free throws (76.9 percent) tonight to raise their average through two games to 69.9 percent. Last season, they shot 77.07 percent from the charity stripe, eighth in the league. No team shot below 70 percent.
Celtics in cruise control
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 10:05 p.m.
As well as Bulls rookie Derrick Rose is playing, which could be skewed since the rest of the Bulls are playing so poorly, he's being badly outplayed by Rajon Rondo, who has been slicing through the Chicago defense to a tune of 14 points and six assists. Rose has 14 points but no assists. With that said, he's not getting any help.
KG turns 1,000
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 10:01 p.m.
Garnett is 32 years, 165 days old. Shawn Kemp previously held the record, playing his 1,000th game on Dec. 20, 2002, when he was 33 years, 24 days old.
Intensity in focus
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 9:15 p.m.
The Celtics are winning every effort play and have been vultures in the paint and under the basket on both ends of the court. It's gotten to the point where some of the Bulls actually look scared to take the ball inside toward Kevin Garnett, and Chicago is taking a lot of shots from the perimeter. With the intensity the Celtics -- and Garnett, in particular -- are bringing defensively, it looks like they're going to be angry when it's over that they didn't shut out the Bulls. By the way, Garnett has 16 points and seven rebounds. Both numbers have already surpassed his total in the season opener.
Oh, Chica-No
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 8:36 p.m.
The Celtics have a 24-13 lead after the first quarter tonight, and it doesn't seem like it's even that close. The Bulls' offense involves four players standing around inside the 3-point line, one guy with the ball dribbling outside the 3-point line, more dribbling, more dribbling, a crossover attempt and a shot. There is some slight variation to that routine. Defensively, the Bulls have bitten on 100 percent of the Celtics' ball fakes, so there's also that.
Late in the first quarter, the Celtics had a 22-10 lead, the Bulls were shooting 3-for-20 (15.0 percent) from the floor, had seven turnovers and one assist.
Campaign '08
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 7:41 p.m.
"I'm voting for Obama, all day long," Rondo said right as Ray Allen (whose locker is right next to Rondo's) draped a T-shirt with a giant picture that displayed Barack Obama's face over Rondo. "There's, what, 15 guys on the team. If everybody votes, I think about 14 are going to vote for Obama."
Who's the 15th?
"Look around the room, and you tell me," Rondo said with a laugh.
You got Rondo'd
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 7:41 p.m.
Rajon Rondo said he is "excited" the Celtics picked up his club option today for the 2009-10 season. The Celtics have the ability to keep Rondo in Boston through the 2010-11 season if they decide to pay his qualifying offer in two summers.
When asked if Rondo wanted to play in Boston for the rest of his career, he gave a business-like answer.
"I love the organization right now," Rondo said. "We're winning. That's what it's all about. We'll see next summer or the summer after that, whatever it takes to get an agreement. We still have to negotiate. It's a business."
Rondo went on to say he
is happy with his current situation with the Celtics but didn't want to
speculate what could happen down the road.
"I have an example," Rondo said. "Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, those guys gave all they had to those organizations. Kevin played with Minnesota for [12] years, and he's in Boston now, so you can never say you want to be in one particular place throughout your entire career because general managers can change, coaches can change, you never know what can happen."
Ole!
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 7:21 p.m.
The
Celtics and Bulls are about 45 minutes from tip-off tonight at the
Garden in a game between a pair of 1-0 teams. Aside from seeing how the
Celtics respond in a game without any emotional pregame distractions,
all eyes will be on No. 1 pick Derrick Rose, an extremely talented
point guard from the streets of Chicago and the University of Memphis.
I got to see Rose play last year during a trip to Memphis, and he's so
incredibly fun to watch.
He's an imposing physical player who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 190 pounds, and he can jump out of the gym with his athletic ability. When he plays defense, he's a bit like Rajon Rondo in the sense that he has the basketball IQ to jump passing lanes and force turnovers. Offensively, he seems to be a mix of Deron Williams and Chris Paul, a guy who can score at will and distribute the ball to keep everyone involved. Doc Rivers, a pretty solid point in his own day, compared Rose's passing ability to Magic Johnson, LeBron James and John Stockton. With that said, I can hear the employees in Springfield clearing a space for Rose's Hall of Fame plaque.
Rondo
held court with the media for about 10 minutes earlier, and the brunt
of the questions involved the Celtics picking up his contract option
today. Scroll down two posts to get more details on that. I'll have a
little more on Rondo coming in a few minutes.
Top of the World
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 12:34 p.m.
I've
been getting through Peter May's new book, "Top of the World: The
Inside Story of the Boston Celtics' Amazing One-Year Turnaround to
Become NBA Champions." I expect to finish it at some point tomorrow or
Sunday, and I have to say, this is a must-read for all Celtics fans.
May had covered the Celtics for 25 years for the Hartford Courant and
Boston Globe, so his access to behind-the-scenes information is
top-notch. "Top of the World" mixes in the story of last season's
championship run with a number of anticdotes of Celtics history, and
there are a number of back stories every Celtics fan deserves to know.
I'd highly recommend spending the $25 to pick up this book.
Celtics pick up Rondo
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 31, 12:24 p.m.
The
Celtics announced today they have picked up Rajon Rondo's contract
option for the 2009-10 season. He will make about $2.6 million next
season, a downright bargain for the 22-year-old point guard. Rondo is
making about $1.65 million this season, the eighth-highest salary on
the Celtics, behind Kevin Garnett ($24.75 million), Paul Pierce ($18
million), Ray Allen ($17.4 million), Kendrick Perkins ($4.1 million),
Brian Scalabrine ($3.2 million), Eddie House ($2.65 million) and Tony
Allen ($2.5 million).
Rondo will be
a restricted free agent after the 2009-10 season, and the Celtics can
retain him by offering him his qualifying offer of about $3.8 million.
If the Celtics don't offer him his qualifying offer (let's be serious,
he'll be here for a long time), Rondo would be an unrestricted free
agent, meaning he can sign with any team he chooses.
The Breakdown
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 11:30 p.m.
Analysis from tonight's Celtics victory against the Cavaliers in the season opener at the TD Banknorth Garden:
Ignore the first half: There was an echo in the Celtics' locker room. They kept saying how difficult it was to turn the switch from the emotional ceremony to the actual game, and it hurt the Celtics early as a result. They were cold from the floor, with two stretches in the first half in which they missed at least five straight shots, and they only shot 40.5 percent from the floor, including 0-for-9 from beyond the arc. Rajon Rondo's foul trouble was a problem because the ball didn't move consistently on the offensive end, and his presence was missed defensively, too. Overall, they were probably lucky they only trailed 50-43 at the break.
Defense is key:
The Cavs scored 35 points in the second half, including a measly 13 in
the third quarter (when Paul Pierce scored 11 on his own). The Cavs
shot 14-for-36 (38.9 percent) from the floor in the second half and
turned it over 12 times, numbers that were all worse than what they put
up in the first half. Stemming from that, Doc Rivers pronounced, "Hey,
the Celtics are here."
C-Notes: Paul Pierce
averaged 35 points in the Celtics' last two home games against the Cavs
in the Eastern Conference semifinals, and he put up 27 tonight. ...
Zydrunas Ilgauskas continues to be a problem for the Celtics. The Cavs'
center had 15 points and eight rebounds, but he left them off the hook
by missing an open jumper -- one he usually makes -- late in the fourth
quarter. ... Speaking of letting the C's off the hook, LeBron James (22
points) took an ill-advised 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:37 to
play and the Cavs trailing 85-80. James was 0-for-4 from 3-point range
tonight and would have been much better off attacking the rim, where he
dominated tonight when he stayed aggressive. ... Leon Powe told a few
of us tonight in the locker room he was put in to punt during a junior
high school football game because he was booming the ball at practice.
Powe went on to kick the ball backwards, and the other team scored a
touchdown, ending his punting career.
Pierce leads the way
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 10:53 p.m.
The
Celtics held on for an intense, 90-85 win against the Cavs tonight in
the season opener. Paul Pierce was unstoppable in the third quarter and
scored a game-high 27 points. I'll have more in a bit.
These are the Celtics we've come to know
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 10:06 p.m.
The
Celtics looked a whole lot better in the third and have a 67-63 lead as
a result. Paul Pierce hit a pair of 3-pointers and dropped 11 on the
Cavs in the quarter to give him 25 for the game.
The Red Sox' ownership is here, along with Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell.
One
note I forgot to mention earlier: Sam Cassell, Billy Walker and J.R.
Giddens are the three Celtics who aren't active tonight.
One step behind
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 9:12 p.m.
The
Celtics aren't really playing as poorly as the score indicates, but
they still trail 50-43 at the half. They're moving the ball fairly well
on offense and getting a lot of open shots, but they can't knock
anything down. There hasn't been much of a flow to the game, mostly
because of the 23 personal fouls that have been called (14 on the
Celtics), which has made it difficult for either team to make much of a
run.
The Celtics have missed all
nine of their attempted 3-pointers, including four by Eddie House, and
Ray Allen missed his first five shots before scoring late in the second
quarter. Paul Pierce leads the way with a game-high 14 points.
Championship hangover
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 8:38 p.m.
The
Cavs jumped out to a quick lead, as the Celtics were probably a little
fat and happy after receiving their rings and going through that
emotional pregame ceremony. The Cavs led 28-22 after one, but the C's
looked a little better as the quarter went on, which differed greatly
from an early stretch in which they missed six straight shots, turned
the ball over twice and fell down by 10 points.
Early game notes
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 8:21 p.m.
The
Celtics are wearing championship edition uniforms, which look like
their traditional home whites but have a gold outline around the
letters and numbers. There is also a championship patch on the right
shoulder.
Rajon Rondo picked up two quick fouls (one offensive foul that was a shaky call), and Eddie House was the first off the bench.
Celtics celebrate in style
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 8:09 p.m.
Four
months of anticipation never felt so good for the Celtics, who just
collected their championship rings and rose the 17th banner to the
Garden rafters. Granted, this is the only time I've ever been a part of
something like this, but I can't imagine it being done any better.
After
a tribute video, a cast of Celtics legends -- John Havlicek, Jo Jo
White, K.C. Jones, Tommy Heinsohn and Bob Cousy -- paraded onto the
parquet while Queen's "We Are The Champions" blasted through the PA,
and Havlicek handed the Larry O'Brien Trophy to an emotional Paul
Pierce, who couldn't hold back his tears.
Scot Pollard was the only former Celtic who returned for the ceremony, and in true Pollard fashion, he was stuck on the wrong side of the court when they called his name to collect his ring. Shortly after, the Celtics rose the banner to U2's "Beautiful Day."
After
the starting lineups -- they're playing a new song this year, not
really a decision I agree with -- Pierce spent a couple minutes
addressing the crowd and thanked a number of people who have guided him
throughout his life, including his former high school coach and several
family members.
Introducing a new look
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 12:50 p.m.We've
changed the font style a bit here at In the Paint for the start of the
2008-09 season, but that doesn't mean you'll be missing out on the same
great content (or that's what we hope to believe). If you're trying to
look up any of my old posts (such as yesterday's league predictions for
the upcoming season), you can click on the link below for all of my
archived content. If you've been reading the blog over the last month,
you've noticed I've added a post called "The Breakdown," which will
provide in-depth analysis following every home game and every
significant newsworthy item regarding the Celtics. If there's anything
else you'd like to see here at In the Paint, please send me an e-mail
at jeff.howe@metro.us. Thanks for coming back for a new season. Just
like last season, I'll do my best to add an extra dimension to the
city's coverage of the Boston Celtics.
Nice day for Ainge
Posted by Jeff Howe, Oct. 28, 11:19 a.m.
The Boston Celtics announced today that they have promoted Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations/General Manager Danny Ainge to President of Basketball Operations. The team also announced Ainge’s contract has been extended.
“Danny has been a key part of building our World Championship team and basketball program,” Boston Celtics Managing Partner and Co-owner Stephen Pagliuca said in a statement. “He represents all that is the best of Celtics Pride and we applaud his success.”
Ainge
was the 2007-08 NBA Executive of the Year and was named to the position
of Executive Director of Basketball Operations after the 2002-03
season. Ainge is currently in his sixth year in the position and his
14th overall with the organization.
“Danny
was visionary as he assembled the players who brought home our 17th
banner,” Managing Partner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck said in a statement.
“His work ethic, character and insight earned him Executive of the Year
and earned us a world title."
